Dark Angel: Retrieved
by elle6778
Summary: COMPLETE. Shortly after the '09 escape, Max was found and recaptured by none other than X5494. This story revolves around the lives of the teenage transgenics in Manticore, focussing on Max and her nemesis.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any of the characters. I am writing this purely for non-profit amusement.

A/N: As this is my first serial, I would really appreciate it if you could review! Thanks!

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Busted**

"X5-452!"

Startled, Max snapped her head back up at the drill sergeant, Hales. At his glare of disapproval, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

The X-series were in training for hand-to-hand combat. One of the many training they had to go through.

Hales have one of Max's arm locked in his grip. Max stayed still, knowing that any resistance would be met by nothing but punishment. Without any concern for her, Hales proceeded to swing and toss her down to he ground. She landed on her front with a hard thump. _Say hi to bruise number 55, _she thought mirthlessly.

Max sighed inwardly, keeping her face expressionless, the Manticore mask intact. She was not too bothered about the fall or the subsequent bruising. She just harbored some resentment at being used as a demonstration tool.

Again.

She guessed she should be used to it. After all it had been six month since they had dragged her back here.

Six months ever since they had taken her freedom away from her.

Her eyes glazed over in remembrance.

"Hey, Max! Are you going to hog all that? I swear, you eat like a pig," asked a laughing teenage girl, pointing at the object in Max's hand.

Max glanced down at the box of pizza and grinned at her friend of three years. "Girl's gotta eat, you know. And I am still growing!" Nevertheless, she pushed the box towards to Dani with a smile.

Both girls sat down at the broken porch of an abandoned house, eating the cold pizza.

"I am so hungry. This is good. Where did you find it?" Dani asked through a mouthful of food.

"Got it from the Italian place a block from here. I grabbed this when the chef was looking the other way," Max said with absently as she took another bite of the cold pizza. Those chefs had barely seen her streaking in and out.

"Now that we found a place to crash, we also need to find more food. Not that it's a problem for you. I'm amazed at the way you get your hands on all sorts of stuff. I'm so jealous," Dani exclaimed good-naturedly to Max who was in the middle of picking peppers off her slice of pizza.

Max shrugged avoiding her friend's gaze. "I was lucky, that's all." Dani had been suspicious of her ability for a while, but Max had hoped that her friend would just accept that she was an exceptional thief. She did not really want to go into the entire Manticore explanation. Not to mention that Dani would probably not believe her.

Dani looked over at Max, seeing a slender dark haired girl with large brown eyes. Dani knew that those eyes had occasionally stared unseeingly into space when Max thought no one was looking. There was something about Max. Something Max refused to talk about. Dani had never pushed; she respected her friend's privacy.

Dani was glad that she had met Max. Just after the Pulse, Dani had escaped from the orphanage. She had been only eleven, scared and lost. Apparently, so was everyone else. Some terrorists had set off an electromagnetic pulse, which single-handedly crushed America's economy. The electro-magnetic pulse disabled any electrical apparatus within its blast radius and rendered all financial data lost beyond recovery.

Max had said, "Now, America's just another broke ex-superpower looking for a handout and wondering why."

Dani had been looking for a place to sleep when she had come across an old garage. It had felt like she had been walking for days. Pushing the metal door aside, she had entered the garage, which had appeared to be abandoned.

"Well, at least it's a roof over my head."

Exhaustion had overtaken her then and she laid down, heavy eyes closing to welcome the much wanted slumber.

Dani had woken to the sound of creaking metal. Through heavy sleep-deprived eye-lids, she had seen a silhouette of a person in front of the garage door. She sat up. The figure did not move.

"Hello" Dani had ventured cautiously as she got to her feet.

Silence greeted her.

And then, after a short pause, Dani heard a wary voice. "What are you doing here?" A girl, she had realized.

"I…I thought… Is this your place?" Dani had asked, unsure of her welcome. She had not been able to see the girls face as it had been hidden in the shadows.

The figure had moved closer, allowing Dani to get her first look at the stranger. Shoulder length dark hair framed a small face with dark, intense eyes. Probably around my age, Dani had thought. Then deciding not to intrude, she had said, "I'm Dani. I spotted this place and thought maybe I could rest for a while. I'm sorry. I'll leave now,"

When Dani had turned towards the door to leave, she had felt the touch of a hand on her arm.

"My name's Max. Its okay, we can share." Max had said, gesturing for Dani to sit.

Max had a bag with her, from which she had extracted a few bags of crisps, a can of soup and some hot-dogs. Noticing Dani's hungry look, she had offered, "Would you like some?"

That had been 3 years ago.

_Dani is my closest friend. My only friend. I still miss my brothers and sisters. I wonder where they are now. Zack, Zane, Jondy, Krit, Syl, Tinga, Brin, Ben … Where are they?_ Max wondered. Max knew that they were out there somewhere. If only she had not fallen through the ice. At least she would be together with Jondy now. She missed her family.

Max stood up from the porch and stretched – cat-like. They had hitch-hiked and walked to Seattle, sneaking through sector check-points for the last few days. Now she was exhausted. That was saying something seeing that Max barely needed any sleep most of the time, thanks to her shark DNA.

Max decided suddenly that she would go for a stroll. Dani declined and said that she prefers to stay and clean up their new crib.

As Max started walking, she started thinking of the lack of furnishing in their new place. _Might as well check out if there is any good stuff to help myself to in town,_ she thought. _I suppose there are some perks in being genetically engineered. Might as well put what I've been given to good use._ She grinned, relishing the thought of the adrenaline rush in the possible heist ahead.

Malcolm woke up in the morning feeling disgruntled as usual. _Back to the daily grind at the lab_, he grumbled. Craving a hot cup of coffee, he walked to his kitchen.

And his steps faltered as an unfamiliar sight greeted him.

"Wh… What? Where?" He looked frantically along his kitchen counter. His electric grill, toaster and kettle were missing. His kitchen appliances missing! Of all things!

After a few minutes of stunned silence, he walked to his computer and logged on to the security CCTV. It was a pretty outdated system, but the cameras hidden in the display cabinet may have caught the intruder.

Malcolm scanned through the video. A slight blur caught his eyes and he paused the video. Moving closer to the screen, he saw the side profile of a dark-haired girl.

A girl who looked very familiar.

A girl whose picture was displayed all over Manticore together with eleven others.

Malcolm gasped and picked up the phone, dialing a familiar number.

"Come on, Lydecker…"

**t.b.c.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I am writing this purely for non-profit amusement.

A/N: As this is my first serial, I would really appreciate it if you could review! Thanks!

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**Chapter 2: Retrieval Operation**

"X5-494 reporting, Sir!" 494 snapped a salute, standing at perfect attention.

"At ease, soldier" Lydecker turned to 494. The thirteen year old boy was standing with eyes fixed to the front. The soldier's posture relaxed slightly at his words. 494's uniform was immaculate. Lydecker noted that like all other soldiers since they turned 12, 494 had been letting his hair grow. It helped them to blend in when deployed on away missions.

"494, I have an assignment for you."

494 waited. He knew that he was not expected to say anything.

"I am sure you were aware of the incident in '09? Manticore had since been keen to find these AWOL soldiers. We have received intelligence indicating that one of them may be in Seattle. You will be sent there to extract the rogue soldier. X5-480 will accompany you on this mission as your back-up. You will brief him as necessary."

Lydecker handed a folder to 494, "You will find all the information you need here. Keep in mind that the picture was taken more than 2 years ago, hence there may be some changes in her appearance. A picture of her twin, X5-453, is included. They should bear close resemblance to each other in appearance."

494 took the folder wordlessly.

"Any questions?"

"Sir, when will I be deployed?"

"Immediately."

* * *

494 leaned against the lamp post, monitoring the area discreetly, patiently. People in all form, shape, size and ages were bustling across the street. 480 was positioned not too far from him, eyes also canvassing the area around them. They were both implanted with hidden communication devices behind their ears so they could alert each other when required.

This was not 494's first mission. He had been on a few missions, and had achieved all the required mission objectives. When he had been given the brief on this mission, he had been surprised. Somewhat pleasantly surprised, even. Now he could get back at one of the '09 rogues who made his life a living nightmare few years ago.

"494. You there?" The voice in 494's ear almost made him jump.

"Yeah. Anything to report?" 494 asked his unit member.

"Sightings of a female matching the description of our objective. 4 o'clock from your position."

494 shuffled inconspicuously such that he faced in the direction indicated by 480. A small, thin girl with dark hair was crossing the road. She was dressed in loose, ill-fitting clothes. And she was shivering. _Probably because of the cold_, 494 thought. He could feel the chill in the air, even though he was well-wrapped in a woollen jumper.

494's pupils dilated as he tried to detect the presence of a barcode behind her neck. It was obscured by her hair, he noted in frustration.

"480, we need to confirm the identity of the subject. I will make contact. Follow me and be prepared to provide back-up."

494 started off following the girl at a safe distance. He knew that he needed to get to the girl in a less crowded location. She was walking towards a shop. He was almost behind her when the crowd began to thin out.

He waited until she was passing an alley.

A quick blur, too quick to be noticed by human eyes, and he pushed her into the deserted alley and grabbed her from behind.

"Hey! What's your problem!" she yelled in surprise, struggling to get free. He was holding her arms down tight against her side. She tried to twist free of his hold.

494 did not answer. As he held her small struggling body facing away from him, a thought crossed his mind, _This was no transgenic. Any transgenic would have fought a lot harder than this and would be much more difficult to subdue. Must have gotten the wrong girl._

He loosened his grip, letting her collapse on her knees to the ground. She was shaking.

Just as he turned to walk away, she stopped shaking. She pushed herself up and took off at a run without a backward glance. He paused and turned around at the sound of her feet rapidly increasing the distance between them. His eyes narrowed. With his enhanced eyesight, he could see her hair swishing up her neck while she ran.

There was a barcode behind her neck.

Without a moment's hesitation, 494 went after her.

"480, we have visual on the subject. Follow me and apprehend" 494 calmly said while he chased after the girl.

A minute later, she turned around the corner. 494 followed in her steps not far behind her. Reaching the corner, he looked around to find that she had vanished. 480 caught up with him a few moments later.

"Where is she?" 480 asked, barely breathing hard after the chase.

"She is still in this vicinity. Couldn't have gone too far. She would be hiding" 494 said as his sharp eyes swept the area.

494 berated himself inwardly. He had her. And he had let her go. He wanted this mission to go well not only for Manticore, but also for himself. He needed to do this for his own satisfaction. Those '09-ers would pay for all the time he spent in psy-ops.

"480, we will spread out to cover more ground."

* * *

Max squatted behind a dumpster, occasionally shaking. She looked out furtively along the alley to the street. There was no one around.

_That was way too close, _she thought. She had been feeling tired all day because of the seizures. Dani was out, so she had to go find some milk which she knew sometimes helped with the seizures.

Questions started to enter her mind. _Who's that boy? Why is he chasing me? Is he Manticore? Another X-series?_ Now that she had thought through it, she realised that her assailant could not possibly be a normal human. Even in her weakened state, she could feel the superhuman strength in his arms when he had grabbed her. She had never been chased by another X-series before, and she was not sure she liked the situation she was in now.

Seizure. No milk. And a persistent X-series after her.

"Could this day suck any worse?" she groaned silently.

_Yes it can_, she thought as her body was wracked with stronger seizures. She tried to stand up, wobbled on her feet, and sat back down. Black and red spots were swimming in front of her.

She passed out.

* * *

480 approached the alley carefully, not wanting to alert anyone with his presence. With his enhanced hearing, he had heard a soft thud from across the street. Pressing his back against the wall, he silently rounded the corner into the alley.

In the alley, he spotted a dumpster. He approached the dumpster. The girl was lying on her side, and she appeared to be unconscious.

480 treaded softly so that he did not wake her. As he got closer, her eyes snapped open revealing large brown eyes.

Before she could run, 480 pounced and grabbed her.

"Let me go!" she shrieked, struggling unsuccessfully trying to detach his arms from around her.

"Stop struggling!" he hissed, tightening his grip and covering her mouth with his hand, not wanting her screams to attract any unwanted attention.

* * *

494 heard the commotion over his comms and came running into the alley. He saw the girl subdued by 480. He walked over to them. He was greeted by 480's grim expression and the girl's startled and confused gaze. She stopped struggling as she saw his face for the first time. Her eyes widened, seemingly in recognition.

"Ben?" she whispered hopefully.

"What?" 494 frowned in confusion.

"You look like someone I used to know," she said, as she obviously realised that he was not the person she thought he was.

"Well, my designation's 494," he informed her.

"His was 493. You must be twinned," she mused.

494 nodded, curling his lips in disgust. "493...Your fellow traitor. Shame he's not with you, otherwise you could have some company when you are back in Manticore. 493, like the rest of you rogues is a traitor."

"Shut up!" Max yelled. It was hard to hear those words coming from someone who looked so much like Ben.

494 moved his face closer to hers. "What? Can't take a bit of truth? Traitor! Rat! Deserter! Coward!" he taunted, glaring into her eyes.

Max jerked forward, trying to get at 494. 480 held her back easily, staring at his CO with a frown. _It was not necessary to antagonise the subject, _480 thought.

494 mentally shook his head. He had her before and she had tried to get away, but she was weak. He wondered…_could a few years on the outside weaken them that much? 480 only had his arms around her and she could not escape?_

He crouched beside 480 and the now struggling girl. He reached out a hand and pushed aside her hair to reveal her neck.

332960073452.

"It's her," 494 smirked in satisfaction.

_End Flashback_

_THUMP!_ Max landed on the mat, startled out of her reverie. _I am going to get 494 for this, _she vowed.

"Get up, soldier. That's enough for you today." Hales said.

Max stood at attention with the rest of the X-series. She did not know any of them. There were three units of X-5s and the rest were other X-series. She was not in any of their units. The Drill Sergeant, Hales, stood in front of them, giving them their assignments for the day.

"Unit 1 to the assault course with Sergeant Rhys, Unit 3 to rifle range with Sergeant Miller and Unit 4 to the lecture hall 1 for intel and surveillance. Unit 5 and 6 to Seek and Destroy exercise with Sergeant Wade. Unit 7 to Med Bay and Unit 8 to Comms room. Fall-out,"

The units marched smartly to their assignments, leaving Max standing alone with Hales.

"452, return to Solitude."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

Max saluted smartly and turned heading towards the building housing the facility for psy-ops reindoctrination and the cell which had been her home for the last 6 months.

She shivered inwardly. It had been a nightmare. It was only recently that she was allowed out, to help out with demonstration; another form of Manticore's more lenient punishment. Probably also to prepare her for reintroduction to her new unit. She had been in psy-ops for almost whole of the first 3 months, and when she was not in psy-ops for reindoctrination, she was in the discipline room, the tank, med bay or solitude.

DISCIPLINE - MANTICORE

DUTY - MANTICORE

TEAMWORK - MANTICORE

ENEMY – '09-ers

TRAITOR – '09-ers

REBELS – '09-ers

BETRAYER – '09-ers

All the words flash in Max's eyes as she recalled her time in psy-ops. Strange, she had felt awful at first, but later she just felt numb. She remembered the pain when the laser entered her eyes, her little body jerking against the wrist and ankle restraints.

She also remembered the tasers and the guards. And Lydecker.

_Flashback_

"State your designation" Lydecker had said.

"My name is Max!"

The taser caused a flash of piercing pain in her side.

"State your designation"

"MAX!"

And on and on it went. She had only seen Lydecker for the first week, and then someone else took over - Ronalds.

"State your designation!"

"My NAME is MAX"

Flash of pain hit her as the taser came into contact with her. Ear ringing from a smack by Ronalds, Max began to be dizzy. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Hmm…I didn't know that rebellion is frowned upon in Manticore? Oops! Of come on, just a bit of rebellion is good for the soul, _she thought _Keeps everyone on their toes!_ She grinned.

"What are you smiling at? State your designation!"

"State your designation!"

"State your designation!"

So on and on it continued for weeks. Sometimes it was the taser, sometimes red hot lasers in the eyes; sometimes it was the tank, sometimes scalpel blades, finger clamps, compression box, sensory deprivation, sensory overload and starvation. The list of torture Manticore came up in the name of reindoctrination was endless. She took everything they threw at her. She did not give in.

She could not see and she could not walk. After one particularly bad session, they had dragged her off and left her in a pitch black box. She sat, leaning against the wall, bleeding from the tasers and from the smacks from Ronalds.

1 day…

No food and water. _Just sleep._

2 days…

Still no food and water. _Sleep. Don't think!_

3 days...

_I will not give in!_ Max thought weakly. Licking her cracked and parched lips.

4 days…

_Okay, Max. What good will you be to anyone if you are dead?_ She thought to herself. _Pull yourself together and THINK!_

5 days…

Survival instinct kicked in. _Right. So be it, _she decided.

6 days…

The door clanked open. She blinked against the sudden glare of light. The guards took her, each holding one of her arms. They brought her to Ronalds.

"Attention, soldier!"

Max pulled herself up as straight as she could, ignoring the screaming pain in her limbs from days of not moving. She stared forward.

"Sir!"

Ronalds took in the sight in front of him. The shoulder length hair, caramel skin with a pale tinge, the dried blood caking her lips and nose, the dusty hospital gown, the expressionless eyes. He was amazed that she could stand at attention after all that time without food and water. Part of him felt regret for what she had to go through. But she was a soldier who represents millions of dollars in research and development, and she needed to be taught a lesson.

"State your designation"

"X5-452, Sir!"

Stunned silence. Ronalds was not sure whether to believe her or not. He searched her eyes for any sign of defiance.

None.

"Let's try that again. State your designation!"

"X5-452, Sir!"

"Is your name Max?"

"No sir!"

Ronalds sighed. He was glad that she had finally decided to conform. Re-training and further reindoctrination would take care of the rest.

"452, for the next 6 month, you will be undergoing a programme for reindoctrination and re-training to ensure that you are on par with your fellow soldiers. Until the completion of the programme, you will be in isolation. If the programme is successful, you will be reassigned to a unit. Dismissed."

She saluted.

"Guards, bring her to the basement cell"

Max almost collapsed then. The basement was where the Nomlies live. Ben told them that they are monsters. _Stop it, Max!_ A voice in her head said. _Manticore cannot re-train you if you are dead! The Nomlies may be monsters, but you can deal with it when you have to. This is just to scare you. _She sighed in resignation to the voice in her head as she tried to banish her childhood monsters.

_End Flashback_

Max grinned when she thought back to the first night shehad spentin the basement cell.

When they had left her, she had been scared out of her mind. She had heard the Nomlies screaming in pain and for food. It had been downright frightening. She had sat and wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to comfort herself.

Then a hairy head had appeared at the grill on her door, peering curiously at her. She had choked her scream down her throat. The hairy head had grunted, and sniffed.

"Cat" it had said.

Max had jumped to her feet, and backed further into her cell. She had backed right into the wall.

"Y-you can speak? Who are you?" she had stammered nervously.

The creature had sniffed in the air again.

"You - cat. I – Joshua. Father called me Joshua"

Max had then inched slowly to the door, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Father? Lydecker?"

The creature had snorted in disgust, "No, father – Sandeman"

"Okay" Max had been able see his features then. _He looked and smelled like a dog._ "I guess they put too much canine DNA in your cocktail, huh!"

Joshua had given her a crooked smile, "Cocktail – cat in your cocktail"

So she that had been how she had found her first friend in Manticore.

**t.b.c**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Max, Alec, Lydecker, or any of those in the Dark Angel show. I only own those characters I made up! I am writing this purely for non-profit amusement - so don't sue me!

A/N: A big thank you to those who reviewed. Please let me know what you think of this chapter.

**Honeyx5-452** - Glad you liked the story. Thank you for your review, it makes me want to write more!

**Suenooneus** - Yeah, I like the Max at Manticore stories too. Not too many of them out there, so I decided to write some.

**angelofdarkness78** – 'Max got recaptured shortly after the escape fics' as you said, are less common. There are also no hints in the show to give an idea of what was it like in there when they are early to mid-teens. So its quite interesting to write.

**DragonHealer** – Ah, no need to wait any longer – Chapter 3 is here!

**Lcm **– Glad you liked the story. Let me know what you think of this one.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Re-enrolled**

Max sat in the reindoctrination room, with her arms straight on the table in front of her. Projected on the wall were images of her siblings, alternating with the words – traitor, deserter, rat, enemy… There were also images of the Manticore emblem interspersed with images of Manticore soldiers in training flashing alternately with the words – discipline, duty, teamwork…

_Quite calming really, you could fall asleep to this_, she thought as she stifled a yawn.

Max wondered just how many times she must be subjected to this. Not like it made any difference to her. Manticore's brainwashing was definitely not working this time. She sighed. She had pretty much made up her mind to do what they asked anyway – until she found a way to escape.

Ronalds had shown every indication that he was satisfied at her performance so far. Tomorrow she would be assigned to a new unit. She had no contact with any of them. Well, apart from being observed by them while she was subjected to blows and throws from the trainers and sergeants. Hard to make an accurate evaluation of their character when you were lying on your back, looking up at them from the mat all the time. Anyway, it wouldn't make any difference; all of them wore the identical blank facial mask. No one can tell what goes on behind the mask. She wondered if there was a chance that they may be like her siblings.

Hardly likely.

Like the TAC leaders, drill sergeants, trainers and guards, they would probably view her as a traitor and give her a hard time. If she was really, really lucky, she might even be assigned to the same unit as that creep 494, she thought. _Now that would really make my day!_

Well, it could not be worse than the last 6 months.

* * *

Max was sitting on her side of the locked door, leaning against the wall in her cell, talking to Joshua. Explaining that she would be assigned to a new unit.

"Little fella is going to be with up-there people?" Joshua said mournfully. His soulful eyes dimmed with sadness at the thought of his little friend leaving.

"Sorry Joshua, I have to go. I cannot stay here, but I will miss you. I will find a way to come see you, 'kay" Max said, trying to console the gentle giant. She felt sad leaving him here, but it was not as if Manticore would allow her to bring him along.

Joshua nodded. He had come to like the little transgenic, but he understood that she had to be with her own kind. Joshua knew she was different from the rest of the stony faced transgenics. She was friendly with him and some of the other anomalies, telling them about her life outside and her friend, Dani. She said Dani would have loved to meet him. But he had also seen the blank mask her face turned into when the guards were around. Her lively, animated face will suddenly turn blank. _Manticore mask,_ he thought shuddering. He did not like that look on his friend's face.

They sat there talking until she heard the guards' approach, the sound of their boots hitting the concrete floor echoing along the basement corridor. The time was 0600. Joshua slipped away quietly, and she laid down on her bunk, waiting to be let out.

The door creaked as the guard unlocked it and pulled it open.

"452. You have 5 minutes for showers. You need to then come with me to Storage for your kit. You will be transferred to your new unit today. You will start your daily routine with them at 0700" the guard snapped out, his posture ramrod straight.

_Gee, these guards have to loosen up! He was standing so straight that he might just snap his backbone with the tension, _she thought, trying hard not to roll her eyes. Max got up and headed for the showers.

After picking up her kit – clothing mainly comprises of camouflage, t-shirts and underwear, rucksacks and military equipments, she proceeded to her new unit, unit 4.

* * *

At 0650 hours, she stood outside the room labelled Unit 4, taking a deep breath. _S_he grinned to herself. _Just ignore everything they say, just be a good, obedient Manticore prototype! Exactly! And wipe that grin off!_ The mask slammed down on her face.

She pushed the door open.

The members of unit 4 were tidying their bunks, having being woken by the annoying Bugle Corps at 0645. At her entrance, they looked up in surprise. A minute later, a tall oriental female with dark hair started towards herMax stared at her in shock._ That can't possibly be Brin_. _She just looks like Brin, _Max thought, not so fast at making a judgement after the 493/494 incident_. Who knows how many of us Manticore whipped up? This must be her twin._

"Your designation?" Brin-look-alike asked, with the usual blank Manticore mask.

"X5-452. I have been assigned to your unit"

"I am 735, CO of unit 4. I have been informed of your arrival. Your bunk is over there, next to 547." She gestured towards a dark hair Mediterranean looking boy.

"Unit 4, this is 452, our new unit member. I'm sure each of you could introduce yourself."

"I am 612" A 15 year old boy with blonde hair and bronzed skin.

"547." Her neighbour said with a small smile.

"593" Dark blonde boy with fair skin who looks like a modified version of Ben.

"I am 312" Girl with brown hair and dark blue eyes.

"I am 422" An intense looking blonde girl with blue eyes.

"401" A young boy with dark skin and hair.

"332" A very young girl, who looks about 11, with black hair and cherubic face. Very un-soldier-like, Max thought. But hey, she is probably perfect for undercover ops.

"I'm 564" An older, male version of 332. Definitely related, Max thought.

"481" A stern looking older boy with spiky dark blonde hair. He looked familiar. Max looked closer and realised that he looks exactly like one of the soldiers who captured her. His hair had blonde highlights! And Manticore allowed this?

"481 is our 2IC. He will be in-charge of this unit when I am not available," 735, Brin's look-alike added. Then she noticed the direction of Max's gaze. "And that hair is obviously not standard issue. He got it done on an away mission," she explained.

Max wondered if she should smile at that comment.

The bell rang, signalling the time for breakfast, hence saving her from having to make that decision. Unit 4 fell into an orderly line led by 735. Max stepped in at the back of the line. She counted only a total of eleven soldiers in her unit, much less than her old unit, unit 2 and she wondered why.

_And 494's not in this unit! _She thought with relief. Somehow, in their short acquaintance, he managed to antagonise her beyond belief. She found it strange that she did not feel the same towards 481's twin, the other soldier who caught her._ But then, he did not insult me or Ben, _she thought.

As they entered the mess hall, Max looked around curiously. There were a few X3s and X4s sitting together at one end of the hall, the younger, larger groups of X6s at the other end of the hall and X-5s in the middle. She noticed Jace, designation 798, another of her siblings who did not escape with them, sitting at a table with some other X5s. Jace did not seem to notice her. As her eyes continued their survey round the room, Max swallowed a gasp as she spotted a younger version of herself, about two to three years old, sitting with some other very young kids. _Manticore cloned me?_ Her eyes widened as they travelled down that table, _And Zack, Brin, Tinga… Our entire unit! _She thought, incredulous.

"452. This way." 735 jolted Max out of her thoughts. 735 noted Max's preoccupation.

"Oh…Manticore had just started on them. Those are X7s. They are mostly clones from your old unit, some from better prototypes in other units. Rumour was that your unit's genetic make-up was the cream of the crop. But the X7 version are not as independent as the X5s. Rumour was that they trained away the independence in their early years. I suppose they do not want a repeat of that incident in '09. Not all of them are here; some of them are on perimeter guard duties. Watch out for them, especially those hive-minded ones. There have been some rumours of some… activities… of theirs which even I find unnerving. But they're not based here normally. They're just passing by en-route to their own facility."

Max nodded, pleasantly surprised to hear the friendly words from her new CO. She had expected her to be stand-offish, as with the rest of unit 4. They had not spoken to her yet, apart from the introductions.

Max followed the rest of her unit to the serving counter to pick up her food and pills. She glanced down at her tray, seeing a bowl of grey sludge, toast, an apple and milk. Looks like the menu has not changed in the last few years, she grimaced.

They all sat down at the same table. She sat in front of 547.

"So, 452, our infamous '09 escapee, seen you on the training grounds for the last couple of months. When did they bring you in?" he asked with a small grin, curiosity shining in his dark eyes. Max decided that 547 may be quite likeable.

"6 months ago. Since then I was in psy-ops and reindoctrination. The demonstrations were part of my re-training programme"

He gasped. "6 months in psy-ops! I am surprised you are still sane!" 547 stared at her in shock, his dark eyes large in his face.

"I hope you are not planning to turn traitor on us, 452." 593, the Ben-almost-look-a-like, remarked with a frown.

Silence greeted the table at that remark. Unit 4 turned to look between Max and 593.

At the silence, 593 said defensively, "What! Who knows what she will do. She escaped once already! I don't know about the rest of you but I don't want to do through all that punishment again" He looked around at his unit for their reaction.

_Punishment?_

735 put down her fork and pinned a disapproving gaze on 593. "That's enough, 593! 452 has gone through reindoctrination and re-training. You know what it's like over there." Casting her eyes around the rest of the unit, she added, "I trust the rest of you agree with me that 452 should be treated as our equals, not an outcast."

Unit 4 nodded in silent agreement.

"What punishment?" Max asked, dreading the answer.

547 answered, "When your unit escaped, Manticore tighten up the security and put us all through discipline and reindoctrination. It was bad. Some, particularly those who shares the same DNA with unit 2, had it worse. They had to go to psy-ops as well and subjected to tests. Manticore wants to be sure that it is not genetic. From our unit, 593, 735, 332 and 564 got the worst; 735 because she is a twin of 734, and the other 3 because they shared some of your unit's DNA."

Max reeled from the information. She had no known that it had gotten so bad because they had escaped. Lowering her eyes, she said, "I am sorry. We didn't realise that Manticore will punish everyone."

735 looked over at her, noticing her distress, "Well, not much use in dwelling over this. It is over. You escaped; we were punished. Many of us felt unjustified in being punished. I suppose it acts as a deterrent for anyone who even thinks of escaping. But I don't want this to affect the way we work as a unit. Understand?"

Unit 4 nodded.

Breaking the uncomfortable mood, 481 pushed his tray away and stood up, "We need to go. Morning drills starting in 5 minutes."

* * *

494 was in the middle lifting up his spoonful of nutrient-fortified sludge, a.k.a breakfast, when the mess door swung open. He observed as unit 4 filed in, with a bored expression on his face. Then his eyes widened.

_452._

She walked in behind the rest of unit 4. He had seen her on the training ground occasionally. She looked much healthier and had grown a bit since he had captured her. _Must be all the good Manticore food,_ he thought wryly, glancing down at his plate with a grimmace. He saw her scan the room, not noticing him, and paused when she saw the X7s. He followed her glance.

_Ah, the clones, _he thought.

He was not the only one who noticed her; he saw the curious looks given to her from all around the mess hall. Some obviously staring, some darting subtle glances under their eyes.

"That's 452, isn't it? The girl we caught in Seattle," 480 who was sitting beside him, asked. 480 was staring openly, his unchecked curiosity reflected all over his face.

494 nodded. He averted his gaze from 452 and continued stirring the sludge distractedly.

"I have to say, she cleaned up quite well. Quite hot under all that grime, don't you think" 480 giving her a once-over, small smile on his face.

494 frowned. _What was 480 thinking of? 452? He cannot mean…?_ He lifted his head to look at 480. The quick once-over 480 was giving 452 was turning into a much more interested look.

He looked at 480 in disgust, "You can't be serious. That's 452. She's been who-knows-where for years. You might catch something. And anyway, she's just a kid."

"Yeah, but these girls grow up pretty quickly. She should be starting her Heat cycle soon! Maybe we'll get lucky" 480 glanced over at 494, grinning.

494's eyes lit up, his eyes returning to 452. _Hmm… Maybe she was not so bad after all_, he thought. To 480, he shook his head, "Nah… Not my type. I prefer them sweeter. Not tainted and used like that one over there."

480 chuckled, "I think she's sweet enough, and I don't think she's that sort."

494 smirked at 480, glancing at 452 out of the corner of his eyes, noticing the subtle curves of 452's young lithe figure. His eyes travelled from the top of her lustrous dark hair, down to the curve of her chest and narrow waist that flared out into curvaceous hips. He felt his blood rush and he quickly yanked his gaze away, not wanting to embarrass himself. Transgenics or not, they were still hormone-filled teenagers. The sporadic outbreaks of X-5 females in heat and the subsequent Sex-Ed classes had been feeding their already over-active imaginations.

Manticore had introduced the Sex-Ed classes for X-5s when it was clear that the Heat outbreaks were a result of the feline DNA in this particular X-series. It was important that these outbreaks were monitored closely and studied. At the beginning, to understand what was happening, when a female was starting her heat cycle, she was strapped down and tested while she was subjected to different stimulants. And by stimulants, Manticore meant male. Male X-3s, X-4s, X-5s, X-6s, anomalies and even humans. There was a varying degree of response from the female but the strongest appear to be when subjected to an X-5 male. What Manticore found interesting was the male's reaction to the female in heat. Apparently the males were strongly affected by the pheromones secreted by the female in heat, making them loose control. Manticore found this out the hard way when they had to subdue an uncontrollable X-5 affected by the pheromones during the tests. The guards' long list of casualties ensured that they did not attempt that experiment again.

As Unit 6 exited the mess hall, a jolt went through 494 as his eyes caught 452's. He saw shock flashed across her eyes as she recognised him, followed by a scowl. Feeling an inexplicable growth of anticipation within himself, 494 deliberately walked in her direction. He could feel 480's questioning eyes on him but he ignored it.

She stiffened as he brushed against her side. He could see, no, feel her shooting daggers at him. Keeping his expression bland, he said softly to her, "Welcome home, 452. Hope you had enjoyed your trip to psy-ops," And continued to walk past her, hearing the sound of her outraged gasp behind him.

494 let a satisfied smile slip onto his face.

480 glanced at his CO, worried. He noticed that his CO had an odd reaction towards that 452. He was usually quite easy-going, and …well, focussed when there was a mission. 480 could not pinpoint his CO's reaction to 452. 494 seemed to be overly hostile and insulting to her during the mission. Although 480 understood that she was considered a traitor by some, but he did not think that insults were necessary. It did not serve any purpose and it was unprofessional. And now, he just caught 494 antagonising 452. Interesting. 480 made a mental note to have a quiet talk with 531, his 2IC.

* * *

It was a frosty morning. Not that it makes any difference to the transgenics. Manticore set a punishing training schedule, and they all kept to it. The X4s and X5s Units 1 to Unit 6, with the exception of unit 2, of course, lined up in the training grounds.

Sergeant Hales walked along the rows of soldiers, inspecting their appearance. A few unfortunate transgenics had the misfortune of having his ruddy face close up to theirs while he made his displeasure known to everyone with sound hearing within a 1mile radius. Eventually satisfied, he returned to the front of the soldiers.

"At ease, soldiers! Today, we will start off with 200 push ups followed by 4 laps around the grounds. Go!"

Max dropped to the ground together with the other 400 soldiers for their push ups. Once the push ups were completed, they started running the laps. Most of them were not even breathing hard, Max noted as she began to feel the strain at the fourth lap. _I need to catch up! _She thought. It was not helping matters that she was still distracted over the encounter with 494 earlier in the mess hall. _What exactly was his problem? You wait, 494. I'll get back at you one day!_ She vowed.

One after another, the X-series fell back into line. Sergeant Hales started demonstrating several combat moves with an un-lucky X-6. _Better him than me! _Max thought.

"Now pair up and practice"

Max paired up with 547. The moves were uncomplicated, both of them taking turns to flip each other over. Max realised that she was a bit rusty. _Really need to catch up soon._ A while later, they were ordered to spar. Max remained with 547. Both of them were already dripping with sweat, face flushed from the previous exercise. They faced each other in the standard fight stance.

Max swung a punch. 547 lifted his arms to block, twisted to grab Max's arm and stepped to the side, yanking Max down to the mat. She fell, rolled and bounced up standing. 547 sidestepped her kick and blurred around her, hitting her in the back of the neck. She fell, stunned.

Unfortunately for her, Hales noticed.

"452! You call that sparring? All these time outside made you soft! Get up!" Hales yelled. Some of the X's glanced at them. Some sniggered.

"What are you looking at, soldier? Back to sparring. Now!" Hales glared at them. They quickly went back to their sparring. Max got up and faced 547 for another round. Punch. Block. Kick. Duck.

"Hey 452, your left side is open. Block!" 574 said under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear, aiming to land a side kick to her ribs.

Max blocked just in time to avoid the impact. _Shit. Too slow! Focus!_

Max and 547 continued sparring, with 547 dropping hints and pointers. Gradually, Max got into it and started landing some hits. She grinned to 547.

"Thanks" she whispered.

547 gave her a small smile.

Smiling back, Max thought_, this may not be so bad after all._

**t.b.c.**

A/N: Reviews, please? (-smile-)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Many thanks to the lovely Chan for taking the time to go through the story and correcting my mistakes! Thanks sweetie!

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Retraining**

Over the next few weeks, Max sneaked out into the indoor training room, which resembled a gym, trying to gain some much needed training. She ran, climbed, rolled, flipped and jumped, generally pushing herself to the limit. It was exhausting, but she knew it needed to be done. She had no idea how much she lagged behind in training until that first day back sparring with 547.

One night, as she inflicted kicks and punches onto an unfortunate sandbag, she heard a sound from the door. Not knowing what to expect, she turned apprehensively towards the door. She let out the breath she was holding at the sight that greeted her.

547 was leaning against the wall adjacent to the door, watching her train. He had noticed her absence from her bed for the last few weeks and was growing curious as to what she was up to. They have become what he considered friends in the past few weeks, not that Manticore taught them much about friendship. Ever since that first day they sparred, he had been trying to help her, knowing that she missed 3 years of training. From the training trend in the last few weeks, it appeared that he would remain as her self-assigned training partner. It is beneficial to both myself and the unit for her to perform well, he thought to himself.

"Hey, 547. What are you doing up so late?" Max asked, wiping the sweat off her brow. She was pleasantly surprised to see him there. She did not know what she had expected to see when she turned towards the door, but it definitely wasn't her training partner.

"I should ask you the same question. What are you doing training at this hour? Whole day of training is not enough! Sucker for punishment!" he said, walking towards her, his face set in its customary smile he always sported when they were out of Manticore's watchful eyes.

"I cannot sleep anyway, shark DNA. Might as well try to catch up with you lot. Can't believe how much difference 3 years of training makes," she answered, flopping down on the floor for a break.

"Really? I have shark DNA too, but I just stay in bed. Extra training doesn't appeal to me," he said. Up to now, he was the only one in Unit 4 with the shark DNA. He was glad that there were two of them now. They could keep each other company on those sleepless nights. He sat down in front of her, nudging her foot out of the way.

She jokingly tried to kick his feet away.

"Hey! What's that for?" He asked, a mock offended look on his face.

"For being you," Max retorted, laughing.

They sat down quietly for a while. 547 flicked his eyes at his neighbour. She was staring intently at the ropes dangling from the ceiling hooks, seemingly trying to decide if she should attempt that exercise next.

He hesitated before approaching her with the question which had been on his mind since she joined them, "Been meaning to ask you – what happened to your unit? Why did you all escape?" he asked tentatively, not knowing how she would take it. In their short acquaintance, he had come to realise that had a rather short fuse.

Max turned to look at him, eyebrows raised at the unexpected query. It was not a subject she wanted to talk about, "It's a long story" she said edgily, inspecting her hands. Her knuckles were a bit sore from all the punching, but at least it doesn't hurt as much anymore.

"Hey, I got all the time in the world. And I am not hurrying off anywhere." He said, taking in the appearance of his new unit member. She is really pretty, he thought. But it was hardly surprising considering Manticore designed them that way.

Max cast her mind back to the days before the escape. It now seemed so long ago. All she knew at that time was Manticore, training and her siblings. Her siblings were her whole world. As she remembered Jack, she started telling 547 the story, "My brother had a seizure one day. We were all lined up for one of those routine inspection. He just started shaking, jerking uncontrollably. Then he collapsed. They took him away."

After a slight pause, she continued, "I couldn't sleep as usual, so that night I got up and walked to the labs. I saw them taking him there earlier. When I got there, he was lying on the operating table. They were slicing him up. It was horrible. He was lying there so pale and still. And they were just slicing him like he is some kind of experiment, like a piece of meat. Lydecker was there, looking, sipping his drink," Her voice cracked. She swallowed to clear the lump in her throat.

574 stared at her silently, stunned into silence at the picture painted by her words. Then she continued, a far-away expression on her eyes, as if she was seeing it all over again.

"One night not long after that, I started seizing. It started with my hands, then the rest of my body. I fell off my bed. Zack and the rest of my siblings got up to help me. We must have caused quite a commotion. Because the guards came in with their guns. My siblings fought them. Eva got hold of the gun and we ran out to the hallway. They were holding me up, and Eva was leading the way. I had no idea what we were doing. Lydecker suddenly appeared, blocking our path. We stopped and Eva pointed the gun at him. Lydecker was faster, he shot her. He SHOT her, right in front of all of us. She fell in front of me, the gun she was holding slid away from her. It slid right up to my feet,"

Feeling her throat constrict, Max forced herself to take a deep breath to calm herself. Even now, she could never speak of that night without choking up. Eva DIED trying to protect her. She could not help the feeling of sadness that washed through her as she thought of her sibling's premature death. It all seemed so wasted.

"Zack gave us the command to escape. I was confused. I mean, escape to what? We jumped out of the window, ran to the woods and split up. Zack said that it was tactically safer that way. Less risk of tactical exposure. I was paired up with Jondy, but I fell though the ice and by the time I got out, I lost her."

"I escaped. But I was alone. It was a prolonged exercise of Escape and Evade for 3 years. Then somehow Manticore found out my location, and sent two X5s to collect me. They succeeded in bringing me back here, obviously. So here I am now!"

Max looked up to find 574's eyes on her, full of sympathy. 574 have no idea what to say. He could almost feel her pain at the loss of her sibling and her failure to stay free, after all they had done. He took a deep breath and let it out.

"None of us really knew what happened that night. Obviously no one told us anything. We just saw you all running from our dorm window. By that time, the alarm came on and we were in lock-down. Next thing we knew, it was re-indoctrination and psy-ops. It wasn't pleasant, but bearable. We lost a lot of freedom, and they were much stricter afterwards. I would guess that you must have gone through worse since they brought you back."

"Yeah. Manticore wasn't too happy that their million dollar R&D prototypes ran away." Max said wryly.

"You called your unit members Zack and Eva, 452? Why not use their designation?" 574 asked curiously.

Max smiled, "We heard the guards call each other names. It was Zack's idea to give us all names. It started off as some sort of game, a secret only our unit knew about. We were pretty close. Zack is my CO. Eva is our 2IC."

"What is your name then?" 547 asked, curious.

Max hesitated. Knowing instinctively she could trust 547, she began to relax, letting her guard down in front of 547. "Max. My name is Max"

"Max," 547 tested her name out loud, "Suits you,"

"You should have a name too. 547 is a bit of a mouthful" Max said.

"Hey, great idea. Hmm…what should I call myself" 547 rubbed his chin, thinking.

"How about Brat?" Max suggested in a straight face.

He started at her, aghast.

"Hey! That's not nice. Maybe Tank? Brings to mind a strong young man like myself," he said, turning his head sideways to look at his muscles, flexing them.

Max snorted and laughed, "Yeah, right! I think the name has to reflect how much you like to talk! And the way you could talk your way out of anything. How about Chat or Yap? Maybe Gabby, for having the gift of the gab,"

"Gabby sounds effeminate! Its an insult to my masculinity," He frowned.

"Gab, then! Better?" Max suggested.

547 paused, considering the name. Then he smiled, "Gab. I like it. Gab it is then!" He said, standing up, stretching. As usual, he couldn't sit still for long.

"You are going?" Max asked, slightly disappointed, her eyes following him as he stood up. She found that she liked his company. The rest of unit 4 (she was still unable to call them her unit) was friendly enough to her. Although she still felt somewhat removed from them. She suspects that the distance was just because she was a new-comer to their unit.

She looked up to see Gab offering her his outstretched hand.

"Nah... So are you going to train or what? I'm more challenging than that sandbag over there! You should pick on someone your own size anyway, not a helpless sandbag. Okay, Max?"

* * *

Over the past week Max and Gab developed the habit to train in the gym every night. It started off rather painfully for Max as she tried to improve her fight techniques. Gab enthusiastically threw her around while giving her pointers. Unfortunately for him, Max was a quick study. Within a week, the tables were turned. Max had improved to the point where it was Gab who was being thrown around, much to his disgruntlement. 

THUMP

A small foot landed on his back. A groan was issued from the body under said foot.

"Max, do you have to do that?" Gab complained.

Max had mastered an amalgamated Manticore plus street fight technique which of course, involved some dirty moves. She aimed her leg forward in a move to plant a foot at her assailant's groin, giving just enough time for the assailant to notice the move. Obviously the assailant will then try to block her kick or move away, slightly bending down in doing so. Max was then able to blur to his side while he was distracted, grab him from behind in an inverse headlock and smash her knees into his guts. Releasing the headlock, she then brought her elbow down to his neck while he was bent over. He would fall, letting her plant her foot on his back. This all happened in split second.

Feeling no remorse at all, Max grinned, "Sorry. Had to get back at you for all these time you were bullying me! Come on, I didn't even hit that hard. Don't be such a sissy,"

"You could have caught me in a real important part of my anatomy. I could have turned into a real sissy," He mumbled irritably. He was beginning to regret getting involved in Max's training sessions.

"Yeah, yeah… You are like what? 13? You are in Manticore. What do you think you need that part of your anatomy for?" Max said, reaching out a hand to pull him up.

"Hey, you're insulting my masculinity again! What's your problem? And anyway, I think I am more like 14. Not sure though. Manticore never bothered to tell us when we were born!" Gab said, grabbing her hand.

And yanked her down while he bounced up.

They both laughed. Max got up, moving into a fighting stance. "Come on! Again!"

"I am a sucker for punishment. But no more dirty tricks from you, soldier!" Gab said, eyeing his adversary warily.

They traded kicks, punches and blocks. As it continued, they both realised that they were almost evenly matched, for now at least. Max tried harder to break the tie.

"Ready to give up, Gab?" Max said, blocking a chop to the neck, ducking and shouldered Gab in the chest.

Clap, clap, clap

Both Max and Gab swivelled round to the sound from the door.

422 and 481 was standing there. 481, their 2IC, was clapping.

"Well…well… What do we have here? Sparring? So early in the morning?" he asked, with a small smile on his face.

"Hey 481. You are up early. Bugles not starting for a couple of hours. And with 422? What are you up to?" Gab retorted, waggling his eyebrows. Sweat dripping down his face as he wiped it.

Ruffled at what he was implying, 422 frowned at Gab, "What are you talking about? We were on our way back from Med Bay. 593 was having seizures."

"Is he okay?" Max asked, concerned. She knew what it was like having the seizures. Sad really. So much for being designed as a perfect soldier. They couldn't even get the serotonin balance right.

"He should be fine. I guess he will be there for a couple of days till he recovers" 481 answered. Changing the topic, he said, "452, you are doing well. You couldn't really tell from the way he usually behaves, but 547 is one of our better fighters. You all been doing this for awhile now?" He walked into the gym, 422 trailing behind him.

Max nodded, "Had to catch up with the rest of the unit. It's much harder that what it was before…" before we escaped, she thought. "Can't let unit 4 down, you know," She continued, not wanting to remind them about her past.

481 looked between her and Gab, "You were calling 547 Gab? Your old unit used names with each other, didn't you all. I see you are starting to do the same here,"

"Yeah, much as we love our designation… Gab seems suitable for him. Gift of the gab, you know" Max explained, rather warily. She was not sure where exactly she stands with 481. She hoped he would not report them,

Oblivious to her feelings, Gab slapped her playfully her on the arm. "It's your bad influence,"

"He's in denial about his gifts," 481 said with a smile. He detected the wariness in Max's eyes and said reassuringly, "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone. We understand,"

422, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange, shot a look at 481 out of the corner of her eyes and said hesitantly, "481 and I had names when we went on an away mission couple of years ago."

"Her cover was Valerie. She was supposed to be my sister. And I was Matt. But it was just a cover" 481 said and shrugged, not wanting to make it sound like a big deal. "Anyway later I thought, what's the harm in having names, right? So when we got back here, we continued using those names. I called her Val and she called me Matt. Not in front of anyone though. Didn't think of telling the others – not sure what they think of it."

Nodding in understanding, Max said, "I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I wonder if all of us feel the same. Maybe the rest have names as well. We just never tell each other. Oh, you can call me Max, by the way." Max grinned.

* * *

A couple of nights later… 

"He is so damned infuriating," Max grouched. A frown marred her features as she recalled the incident earlier that morning before dawn. She was in the gym training as usual. Gab had enough abuse for the week, so she was training alone.

_-Flashback -_

A sudden noise which sounded suspiciously like a snort startled her into loosening her grip on the ropes. Not the smartest move, she thought as she landed painfully on the ground, the wind knocked out of her. She remained still, trying to catch her breath. Damn, she thought. She need to improve her focus.

A voice drawled, "So 452… Enjoying life in captivity?"

Max looked up from her position on her floor, and wish she hadn't. 494 was standing a few metres away, arms folded across his chest. She frowned in annoyance.

"Go away, 494," she said, brushing off the dirt from her clothes as she got up.

Showing no signs of hearing her words, he took a step towards her, "Catching up with all the lovely training you missed, I see," 494 had seen her in the gym as he headed back to his dorm after the debriefing from one of his assignments.

"Yeah, thanks to you. Without you, I'll still be in Seattle, FREE. Now, do you mind leaving me in peace?" Max spat at him. She was wishing he would just go away and leave her alone. He was now standing only a couple of feet in front of her, invading her personal space.

"Well, I was just following orders. It was nothing personal, you know. Even if you runaways were responsible for my time in psy-ops," 494 said with fake sincerity. His large hazel eyes took in her sweaty form. As his nose caught her scent, he wondered how she could manage to smell so appealing after all that work out. Outwardly, he wrinkled his nose in an exaggerated show of disgust, making sure she noticed that he found her smell offensive.

Feeling rather self-conscious, she glared at him and retorted, "Obviously all that time in psy-ops did nothing to improve your personality,"

494 raised his eyebrows, "My personality does not require improvement. I even have been told that I could be very charming when I want to. I just don't see the point on wasting it on traitors like you," he sneered condescendingly.

Max's lips compressed as she fought to keep her temper in check, clenching her fist to stop them from lashing out at him. She will not let him have the satisfaction of seeing her lose her temper. Not to mention it would probably alert the guards. Forcing her face into its Manticore mask, she waved a hand and said dismissively, "Whatever, Jackass. I am not going to waste anymore of my time talking to you," Max decided to leave before she did something she regrets. Throwing him a final glare, she brushed past him and walked towards the door.

"Just what we expected, running again," she heard him say snidely as the door swung shut behind her.

She bit back the urge to growl.

_-End Flashback-_

"Who?" Joshua asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

"494. That's who!" Max spat out in disgust, "It's like he's got a personal grudge against me or something, that creep! Keeps coming out with all sorts of smart-ass comments,"

She was at the basement with Joshua and some other so-called anomalies. Now that she knew them, she wondered why they were called such a thing. True, their appearance would not be what you call pretty, but most of them were as normal as any of the other transgenics where it mattered.

Since her reintroduction back to the normal Manticore schedule, she had found a way back to the basement. With her newly acquired standard issue Manticore 'toolkits', she managed to jam the visual monitors and fool the locking devices of the cell doors into thinking that the anomalies were still safely locked up in their cells. Thus allowing the anomalies some degree of freedom at night, between guard patrols. They were still confined to the basement, but at least they were not locked up in the tiny cell.

"The one who brought you back here? Tell me where he is and I'll beat him to a pulp," Hulk growled menacingly, cracking his knuckles. Max named him after the character in the pre-Pulse show, Incredible Hulk. It was really suitable for him. Hulk was one of the many X3s prototypes whose DNA were modified to produce a much stronger, tougher breed of soldier. The result was that he and other similar prototypes ended up being 2m tall generally, and were built like, well, the Incredible Hulk.

With a thoughtful look, rubbing his chin, Kelpy the chameleon said, "Actually, we should thank 494. Because without him, Max wouldn't be here and we would still be sitting in that cramped cell. So we shouldn't really punish him for it!"

Max groaned, "Yeah, letting you guys out really was worth all the torturous training they put us through,"

"But," Kelpy continued, ignoring Max, "I also fully support Hulk's idea! I could even help. I could blend into the surrounding and catch him unawares," To demonstrate the point, Kelpy blended to match the crate he was leaning on. He turned brown to match the wooden shades, complete with the all the fixings.

"Make up your mind who's side you are on, okay Kelp?" Cammy joined in. She is one of the other chameleons in the basement. Quite a few of them were bred, until Manticore decided that they were a failure. The chameleons never satisfied Manticore's tests as they were not able to blend into their surroundings and unblend on command. Hence the stamp of failure. The fact was that the chameleons couldn't help blending into their surroundings during the tests as it was an automatic reflex for them when they were nervous. And the Manticore lab techs and guards always made them nervous. However, under normal circumstances, they have control over their blending, like the way Kelpy blended into the crate.

Max giggled as Kelpy snapped back to his own human shade as Cammy jabbed him painfully in the arm. It always amazes her how Manticore never picked up on the potential of the basement dwellers. On the other hand, it is probably better for them if Manticore didn't.

Kelpy rubbed his abused arm, and said to Max, "Seriously, I'll be more than happy to get back at 494 for you. After all, if its not for you, we will still locked up all the time. Now at least we get to move about a bit," He put his arms around Cammy, and added mischievously, "And you introduced me to my soulmate,"

Cammy smacked his arms away from her shoulders in mock irritation, "Uh…yeah, thanks Max. For introducing me to this irritating creature,"

"Fun for Kelpy to trick 494," Joshua said excitedly.

"Nah," Max said, shaking her head, "Its not worth the risk. Thanks for the offer anyway,"

"You sure? I think Kelpy should do it. It will be fun," Cammy said, eyes twinkling. As an idea popped into her head, she said, "I read somewhere about these tricks people play on each other…"

t.b.c.-

* * *

A/N: Okay people, reviews and constructive criticisms would be appreciated. I am beginning to have niggling doubts about this story due to the lack of reviews ;P 

Many thanks to HoneyX5-452 and angelofdarkness78 for taking the time to review. Much appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! You all made me really happy! So far, this chapter the most reviews! --Jumps about like mad--

**Honeyx5-452** – Thanks for your review and for putting me on your favourite list. -Grins happily-Hehe! You are so going to kill me when you see the length of this chapter! I promise to try to shorten it in the future!

**angelofdarkness78** – Thanks for your words. Made me feel better immediately! I read your stories – laughed like mad at the fairytale ones!

**Gabbie760 **– Thanks for your review. Joshua was brought in so soon as I thought Max needed a friend! And also, I have a 'plan' for the story.

**Alana84 **– Thanks for your review. Hmm… I am not sure Max and Alec have much of a friendship at the moment! However, keep tuning in as it will surely happen later on:)

**Iridescent Twilight** – Thanks for your review. Don't worry about 494, it is not THAT bad! I was relatively kind to him –wink-, as you will find out!

**NoAngell **– Another new reviewer! Thanks! Gosh, I hope it is not _TOO_ similar to Left Behind, much as I like that story myself! Retrieved has a different aim and characters, as you will find out in a few chapters ahead. Keep on reading!

Now on with the story...

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 5: Trick & Treats**

494 sat up in his bed, cursing grumpily at the unholy noise created by the kids in Bugle Corps. Someone should lynch those kids, he thought irritably. He dragged himself off his bed and looked around. Dawn has just approached, bathing the dorm in an eerie glow of orange light. All around him, unit 6 scrambled off their bunks. As usual, they immediately started arranging their bunks; bring it into order for the morning inspection.

A sudden howl of laughter from the bunk beside him started 494. Surprised, he turned around to face 511, wondering what 511 found to be so amusing at this time of the day. Still on his bed, 511 was staring wide eyed at 494, clutching his belly as he gasped in laugher. The rest of the unit, startled at the commotion, turned their attention to their CO. 531 gaped at the sight that greeted her and clapped a hand to her mouth, trying to smother a giggle. Across the room, 480 just stared in disbelieve. The rest of the unit tried to keep their faces straight.

The effort was apparently too much. They all broke out in hysterical laughter.

494 frowned at the uncharacteristic behaviour of his unit. Turning to 511, he glared and snapped irritably, "What's so funny?"

Eyes watering with the effort of keeping his laughter in control, unsuccessfully of course, 511 pointed wordlessly at 494's head.

Dreading what he would find, 494 raised his hand apprehensively to his head.

Not finding what he expected when his hand came into contact with his head, he swore loudly, "WHAT THE FUCK! _WHO_ did this?" He yelled, eyeing each of his unit members.

Unit 6, not knowing the answer to his question and not wanting to incur their CO's wrath, clamped down on their laughter instantly and quietly shook their head. 511, knowing how pissed off his CO was, decided that it would be more beneficial to his well-being if he stopped laughing too.

His keen perusal of his unit members told 494 that they were not responsible for the atrocious crime. Frowning in confusion, he wondered who would do such a thing?

His now silent unit was standing motionlessly, awaiting his next words. 494 could see the apprehension in their eyes and felt uncomfortable for being the cause of that look. He did not mean to make them fear him. Like the way they feared the guards.

Resigning himself to the fact that he would have to face the day in the ridiculous state he was in, he barked out, "Well, what are you all waiting for. Fix your bunks and lets get moving," He turned back to his bed and started pulling his sheets into place, still fuming quietly. As his eyes rested on his pillow, he understood what had happened.

Unit 6, sensing their CO was not in his finest mood, decided wisely to continue their silence, keeping their mirth to themselves. Once they completed their morning routine, they fell into two neat lines and walked briskly towards the mess hall.

494 had expected the reaction he got from the rest of the transgenics in the mess hall. He could clearly hear the sniggers and the giggles around him. He could even hear the X6 brats at the other end of the room. Straightening his back, he pressed his lips together in a grim line and continued across the room

_Who came up with this stupid idea of a diabolical joke? Wait till I catch whoever that did this. He would wish he was never born!_ 494 thought vindictively. His mind was coming up with the many ways of retribution for the crime committed against him.

494 frowned. What he didn't understand was _how_ it happened. And how did he miss the telltale signs on his pillow before he went to bed? He berated himself angrily. Since he was quite sure that his unit were innocent, it must be the other X5s. The X6s bunked in another wing and it was highly unlikely that the X4s would bother to waste their time on these sorts of tricks. Looking around the mess hall suspiciously, he thought, _You wait…I'll FIND you if that's the last thing I do!_

* * *

Max looked up from her breakfast as the door to the mess hall opened and Unit 6 filed in, one after another in a well ordered line. No surprise there, with a CO like 494, she thought. 

"Talk of the devil," she muttered under her breath as she caught sight of 494. She immediately averted her gaze by reflex.

Her eyes snapped back up as she looked at him again.

She gaped. Her spoon dropped into her bowl of goo with a plop as the muscles in her fingers went slack when she took in 494's appearance. Then her lips stretched into a grin. _They actually went ahead and did it_, she thought, shaking her head in amusement. _Better still, they succeeded_. She heard a few not so subtle sniggers around the mess hall as the other transgenics saw what she saw. She watched as 494 made his way across the room, his posture stiffer and more rigid than usual.

A sudden jab at her side brought Max's attention back to her table. Matt was sitting next to her on the long bench and table. His own plate had been wiped clean of the tasteless goo. Max grimaced, wondering how could he finish the stuff.

He was looking at her suspiciously, in his '_I am your 2IC, so confess your mischief_' look.

"Is there something you are not telling us, Max?" he asked softly. Matt, Val, Gab and herself were seated together at one end of the Unit 4 table. Matt had noticed the myriad of expressions crossing Max's face as 494 walked in. He remembered that Max was never too fond of 494. Not that he blamed her. 494 had always found ways to taunt her whenever they are within hearing range of each other. And that was saying a lot considering their enhanced hearing.

Hearing Matt's question, Max's eyes widened almost comically as she said. "Of course not. What makes you think I am hiding something from you all?" She blinked innocently at her 2IC. She looked at Gab and Val for support. They just shrugged, not wanting to take sides.

Matt smiled knowingly. _Yeah right!_ "Hmm, I suppose it was just coincidence that you went missing again from the dorm the last few nights. And it was also coincidence that you _borrowed _Val's contraband a couple of days ago," he said, raising his eyebrows at Max, challenging her to refute his words.

Knowing she had been made but not wanting to give in so soon, she said, "You know I train at night. And the hair removal kit was for my legs, if you must know,"

Joining in the conversation between Matt and Max, Gab teased, "Tell me you are not responsible for what happened to the poor guy. We all know how much you love him," He looked intently at his training partner. Finally registering the obviously satisfied smile on Max's face, he stared at her and stated incredulously, "You didn't!"

Truthfully, Max said, "I did not put it in his bed, honestly," She grinned. Well, she didn't but she knew someone who did.

Looking at her sceptically, Matt said, "Yeah, right"

Gab groaned and shook his head. _She is in so much trouble,_ he thought.

"You know he's going to kill you if he finds out, right? You will be in so much trouble," Val said, voicing Gab's thoughts, a worried frown marring her features. "He is the CO of Unit 6, and you know Manticore only picks the best for that position. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of his attention,"

Max snorted in derision, "The best my foot! I don't care if he's the CO of the entire Manticore. And what do you mean, '_if_' he finds out? There's not a chance in hell he would have a clue how it happened! Not unless someone tells him!" She gave her friends an enigmatic smile.

Val, Matt and Gab continued staring at Max with a worried look in their eyes.

Not having the privilege of being included in the conversation the rest of Unit 4 were puzzled at the looks on the four transgenics' faces; Three worried and one smiling. Carefully looking at each of them, 735 asked suspiciously, "What have you all done now?"

The four transgenics shrugged innocently. 735 rolled her eyes and shook her head as she stood up. _Maybe some things are better left unknown_, she thought. She looked at Max and noticed the gleam of excitement in her eyes. She hoped that whatever the newest member of her unit did, she would be smart enough to stay of out trouble.

The bell rang shrilly, signalling the end of their allocated time for breakfast. The transgenics started to make their way out of the mess hall towards the training grounds. Unit 6 was just right behind Unit 4.

_Perfect,_ Max thought gleefully as she rubbed her hands together. _This is definitely going to be a treat!_ As the exited the mess hall, she deliberately dropped back to the end of the line formed by her unit, bringing her just in front of 494.

Discreetly, of course.

Making sure that she caught his attention while they continued their march down to morning drills, she taunted, "Bad hair day, 494?" She looked over her shoulders, not wanting to miss the expression on his face.

494 had half expected this when he saw 452 inching not-so-subtly towards him. But that does not mean that he will put up with it, he thought in irritation. The last thing he wanted was to give her ammunition to attack him with, although he understood the temptation to do so after all his jibes at her in the past. Knowing fully well how ridiculous he looks with half his hair missing, 494 glared at her and snarled, "I am guessing you want one too? It could be arranged. With pleasure,"

Shaking her head, Max fingered her hair and said, "Nope. I am quite happy with the way mine is right now, thank you,"

Pretending to inspect her almost non-existent finger-nails, she said thoughtfully as she glanced at him under her lashes, "Assuming you did not do this to yourself, I bet that you must have really pissed someone off for this to happen. Hmm, I wouldn't be too surprised actually, considering the things you say sometimes," She looked up in time to see him snap his head towards her at her words.

A seed of suspicion began to grow within him as he considered what she just said. Thinking back, he knew that he did not knowingly piss anyone off. The only person who had that effect on him was 452. However, he could not see how she could have possibly done it without being caught. Searching her eyes for clues, he said testily, "Are you saying that _YOU_ are responsible for _THIS_?"

Keeping her expression bland, with a slight hint of pity, Max advised not-so-helpfully, "Maybe if you quit making your trademark smart-aleck comments, your hair would still be intact. And anyway, _IF_ I was the one who did it, how could you not have caught me in the act, with all the extra training you got on me?" She tilted her head questioningly. She was really enjoying this, she thought. In front of her, Matt turned back to give her a subtle glance, quietly warning her. She ignored him. She was going to have her fun while she can.

Frowning, 494 sneered, "I don't remember taking a class on how to spot such low, sneaky, underhanded, childish tricks,"

"Does that mean that even with all your additional training, you are implying that _I_ could actually be better than you at something?" Max mocked him as they stepped out into the training grounds. A cold breeze blew against them, not that they noticed. Engrossed in their conversation, both Max and 494 had dropped to the back of the line. The rest of the transgenics started falling into neat lines, each with their own unit. Sergeant Hales, as usual, were at the front of the training grounds, impatiently waiting for the transgenics to arrange themselves into the standard drill formation.

Not wanting to end the conversation yet, 494 had stayed at beside 452 at the rear row instead of standing in front of his unit as he usually does. _Let 531 lead for once_, he thought. Turning his attention back to Max, "Are you saying you did this, 452?" he asked menacingly, hissing under his breath. He caught the twinkle in her eyes. _Could she have done it? She wouldn't…_

_Would she?_

"If you are so good, you would be able to answer that question without my help," She hissed back. Max was not going to give him the satisfaction of hearing her accept or deny the accusation. Let him wonder. God knows he deserved some grief.

"EYES-FRONT!" Sergeant Hales yelled as he noticed the two distracted transgenics. His eyes narrowed as he spotted 494. _What does that kid think he was doing_, Sergeant Hales thought irritably.

"X5-494!"

"Sir!" 494 answered smartly. He knew what was coming. Straightening up even more, he braced himself for the expected tongue-lashing from the drill sergeant.

"As the CO of a unit, you should know that you have to set a good example to your unit. That hairstyle is highly irregular, and will definitely not be tolerated by Manticore. You know this, so what's the meaning of this?" Hales snapped out, pointing a finger at the transgenic's head.

Staring straight ahead, 494 answered, "Sir, I was trying to shave my head when the shaving device malfunctioned. There was not sufficient time for me to find a replacement before breakfast. Hence I was not able to complete the task, Sir!"

A few bursts of sniggers from the rows of transgenics elicited a very loud, irate, "EYES-FRONT! What's so funny!" by Hales. The sniggers died down instantly. The Manticore masks slammed down uniformly on each transgenics' face. Silence descended on the training ground.

Eyeing 494 suspiciously, he said, "Very well. You are excused from drills this morning. Go fix that abomination. NOW!"

"Sir, yes, Sir!" 494 snapped out, swivelling on his heels to leave.

As he stepped out of formation, he looked at 452. Although she was staring straight ahead expressionlessly, he could the suppressed laughter in her eyes.

The suspicion resurfaced in his mind.

She can't have possibly done it, he thought.

_Can she?_

494 cursed his disability to find out the culprit behind the so-called joke. He fumed silently as he thought of what awaited him now as he walked towards the grooming centre.. where Manticore used to shave their heads.

He_REALLY_ hated that military buzz cut.

* * *

Manticore celebrated the 18th month's anniversary of Max's return to her birthplace by an announcement of a new exercise – Advanced Interrogation. 

The X5s were taught the theories behind interrogation techniques and resistance methods in the last few months. Now it was time for the practical training. The objective of the exercise was to give the transgenics a chance to demonstrate what they have learnt on the topic of torture resistance. It was to be conducted in the Psy-Ops labs. When the X5s were informed of this during one of their morning drill trainings, the silence were deafening. Even an Ordinary would not have a problem hearing a pin drop on the training ground.

A couple of weeks after the start of the exercise, Max began to notice the state of some of the transgenics released from the exercise. Some came out almost comatose and had to be carried back to the dorms. Some was sent to Med Bay. The nights were the worst. Not being able to sleep due to her shark DNA, Max could hear the cries from nearby dorms as they thrashed in their beds in the throes of their nightmares.

Then one morning, in the training ground, Hales called out the dreaded command, "Unit 4. Proceed to Psy-Ops for Advanced Interrogation."

Max stepped forward with the rest of unit 4. As they entered the passage which leads to Psy-Ops, Gab fell back next to her.

"I don't like this. Have you heard what they are going to do to us! Its torture!" Gab said with a worried expression. He too had heard the screams. He and Max had heard the cries all the way from the gym. They had clenched each other's hand tightly as they tried to block out the horrible sound.

"I know, Gab" She said softly, not wanting the rest to hear her call Gab by name. Val and Matt were in front of the line, nowhere near them. "It's just another exercise, like the classes where they taught us to resist interrogation. Remember? They said it's all in the mind. Don't let them get to you. You can do it." She reached out for his hand and gave it a squeeze.

They approached the lobby of Psy-Ops. Ronalds was waiting for them.

"Attention!" 735 snapped out a salute. The rest followed suit.

"At ease soldiers. You know why you are here." Ronald paused, looking at their expressionless faces. He knew that the following training will change the look on their faces. He knew Lydecker and the Committee was disappointed at the results from the last few weeks. Some of the X5 prototypes broke down only after less than 24 hours of interrogation, a dismal performance. Most of them lasted twice as long as that. A select few, number of which could be counted on one hand, exceeded expectations by not breaking down at all. He would be interested to see the results of this unit. This was the last X5 unit to be tested. He hoped he would have better results for his superiors after this batch of exercise.

"This is the scenario. You and your unit were sent by a government agency to a hostile territory to retrieve a disk containing damaging information on an agency. Once retrieved, your mission was to keep the disk safe in a high school, in the Physics laboratory. Your cover would be as high school students, from another high school, visiting a science exhibition at the first high school. Understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" unit 4 answered in unison.

"The disk was successfully retrieved. However, you were captured by the hostiles. The rest of your unit successfully escaped with the disk. You were then brought for interrogation. This is your exercise – You cannot divulge information which can compromise the mission, your unit and the government agency. You need to resist by whatever means available to you. Remember, this will be as real as it can get. The interrogators will try to force you into giving them the information they desire. Resist them."

He took in their faces. Still blank. He started stepping back.

"There will be no time limit to the exercise. It will stop when we are satisfied at your performance, or when you fail. Remember, in reality, when you fail, there is no need for the hostiles to keep you alive. You will be dead. In this exercise however, if you fail, you would be sent for Psy-Ops re-evaluation and re-take the exercise until you succeed. Failure is not an option. Exercise starts now."

The transgenic tensed.

The door slammed open as a TAC squad barged in towards the transgenics. A pair of them to each transgenic. The transgenics struggled and fought. Most succeeded in knocking the TAC soldiers down, and then proceeded to help their less fortunate unit members.

More TAC soldiers entered, this time with tasers. Unit 4 faced them, ready to fight.

They did not stand a chance.

One after another, the transgenics from unit 4 each fell down under the shock from the tasers. Max lay down on the floor in spasms. Still conscious, her eyes sought Gab's. She saw him, unconscious, being dragged away by two of the TAC soldiers. Hoping that her friend would be alright, Max closed her eyes and let the darkness envelop her.

**t.b.c.**

A/N: So what do you think of this chapter? Like it? Don't like it? Or want me to re-write it (please don't say that! Took me forever to write this!)? Please review and tell me!

Oh by the way, if you like MA stories, and if I have not put you off yet, I have just posted another one – its called Remember. Please check it out and tell me what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: To those who reviewed the last chapter – THANK YOU SO MUCH! After all your wonderful reviews, I am a bit apprehensive that this chapter may not live up to your expectations. It has a slightly different feel to it. But tell me what you think, 'kay!

**Honeyx5-452** – Thanks for your review. I knew you were going to say something about the length of the chapter 5:) I actually split this chapter into half! But then I realised that it is not much shorter. But please don't let it put you off. Forgive me for not naming 494 yet, the story so far doesn't seem to allow it.

**GuessTypePerson** – Thanks for your review! Glad you find it interesting. Keep on reading and reviewing!

**NoAngell **– Thanks for reviewing! Really glad you liked it! Read on to find out if they all made it. Just keep this in mind, okay – things are not always what they seem.

**angelofdarkness78** – Another Max supporter! You are right. Girl kick ass! About the chapter length, this is actually half a chapter. The original somehow grew into 6000 words and I didn't think anyone would appreciate that length! Thanks for reviewing again!

**X5-459 **– Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked chapter 5. Hope you like this one too!

**Iridescent Twilight – **Are you psychic by any chance or you have been reading my mind! Tell me what you think of this one. Thanks for your review!

**Angel of Darkness231** – Thanks so much for your review. Its good to know that the reader like you appreciates the story. I deliberately did not place Max and 494 in the same unit, thinking that it will make things more interesting. As for your story, if by attention you mean reviews, a wise woman (angelofdarkness78 btw) once said to me to not worry, as I have the very same problem.

**Alana84** – Yeah, I feel bad even when I was writing it. But 494 had it coming! Lol! Thanks for you review!

**Lin** – Thanks for reviewing. As for Gab, you have to read to find out!

**Aur** – Thanks for reviewing. MA relationship is going to be rocky for a while!

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 6 – Bite Me**

When Max came to, she found herself strapped to a chair in the middle of the room. She still felt disoriented from the effect of the tasers. And drugs, she realized, blinking her eyes against the blurriness. She was in a white room. White walls, white ceiling and a person in white was standing not too far away, staring contemplatively at her.

He moved towards her, narrowing the gap between them. Max eyed him warily as she tested the strength of her bonds discreetly.

The person in white suddenly grasped her hair and yanked her head back. "Who are you working for?" he questioned abruptly.

Nothing but silence greeted him. Max was busy trying to focus on his face, rather unsuccessfully. Her head was still spinning, which was not helping her vision. She noticed, however, that he was wearing a lab coat with the Manticore emblem stitched over the pocket. _Wonderful! My interrogator. Must be a psy-ops lab tech,_ she thought. _The interrogation must be starting already._

"Tell me now, where is your unit? Or you'll be sorry," asked the tech, his twitching hands caught Max's attention. A black rectangular device with a dial and a button was in his hand. She wondered what it does. She had seen similar devices during her reindoctrination when they just captured her. She knew that the presence of one of those devices did not bode well for her.

Outwardly Max rolled her eyes and kept silent. He stared back at her with a look of mild boredom. Suddenly, he raised his right hand and smacked her across her face. Her head jerked back painfully.

"Where?" He asked again.

Annoyed now, Max spat out, "Find them yourself, dick-head!"

The lab tech applied pressed a button on the rectangular box. A jolt of electricity coursed through her small body. She shook in spasms.

"Where is the disk?"

"Hey, your mother never taught you the word 'please'?" Max grinned. _SMACK_. Max's head snapped to the side. She could feel a trickle of blood from her nose. She licked her lips, taking in the coppery taste of her own blood.

"Tell us. Where is the disk?"

_Silence. Defiant glare. _

Another electric shock jolted her. Max's body jerked at the current._ Well, you can try your best, you shit. I had survived months of torture before, _she thought.

* * *

38 hours, and four lab tech shifts later, they were still at it. Max had no sleep or food all that time and she was beginning to feel worn out. She wondered how long they were planning to keep this up.

"Let's try again, shall we. Tell us the location of your unit and the disk."

"Piss off, asshole!" Max glared at the tech. The tech shook his head.

"Never learn, do we!" He took out a crinkly metal clamping device.

Max cringed inwardly. _What! Clamp? This is not good. Not good at all!_ She forced herself not to struggle. They had used the clamp before on her during her first 3 months in Manticore. The isolated pain in the fingers was excruciating. Max jerked away involuntarily as he approached her. The tech, with the help of a guard, grabbed her hand and latched on the device to her fingers.

"Now, are you ready to tell us what we want to know?" The tech asked, holding the handle for the clamping device.

"You wish! What? You need to torture kids for kicks! How pathetic!" Max answered defiantly.

The tech squeezed the clamp.

_PAIN!_

Max shut her eyes and gritted her teeth against the horrible feeling in her fingers, trying to block out the pain. It felt like they were trying to cut off her fingers. Slowly.

Keeping the pressure on, the tech asked "Tell us. Where are they? Where is the disk? Who are you working for?"

"Bite me!" Max snarled.

Pressure on her fingers increased.

"Tell me what I want to know and I'll ease off" he said, almost gently.

Max glared at him.

And spat.

The tech wiped her spit off his cheek.

Pressure on the clamp increased, cutting into her fingers. Max felt her blood seep out between the metal.

"Give it up!" he insisted.

"Jackass!"

Max felt the metal grinding the bones in her digits. The pain was so bad that she felt like she wanted to throw up.

_It's all in the mind, she thought._ Repeating it like a mantra. _This is not happening to me. _She tried to detach her mind from her body as was taught in their classes. She closed her eyes. _It's all in the mind._

_Come on Max, you can do it. Focus! _She forced her mind to retreat.

* * *

494, 531, 480, 511 and 501 ran head to head, away from their pursuers. Their feet pounded rapidly, but lightly against the soft green grass. Out of the corner of his eyes, 494 could see the rest of his unit to his left and right, also running towards the woods in front of them. He could feel the 'bullets' hissing by. One of his units was already down, hit by the synthetic bullets. These exercise bullets, although wouldn't normally penetrate the skin, would explode upon impact. It was actually a capsule which contains some sort of chemical which renders the victim immobile when it comes in contact with skin. 

_Damn, they are fast! _494 gave a backward glance at their pursuers, those X6 kids, who were rapidly closing in on them. For someone so young, they definitely moved fast. 494 gritted his teeth as he stretched further to lengthen his steps, hoping that they could outrun the X6s. He highly doubted it. The heavy vest which all of unit 6 wore slowed them down. The vest was another one of Manticore's brilliant training ideas.

_SHIT!_ _We have to do something_. _We need to stop them, _he thought.

Entering the woods, he signalled to 531, his 2IC to go ahead with the rest of the unit and to take command of those in the front. Turning to 480, 511 and 501, he signalled for them to spread and hide, setting up an ambush. Quickly, the X5smerged with their surroundings.

As the unsuspecting X6s entered the woods, 480 swung down from the tree over them, kicking the last two X6s at the back of the head. He grabbed their weapons and started shooting at a few other X6s. The rest of the X6s turned around, just to be attacked by 494, 511 and 501, which appeared out of nowhere.

The X5s and X6s faced off. The X5s were stronger, but the X6s had the advantage of numbers.

494 was fighting one of the X6s when another came at him. Sheswung her rifle at him. He lifted his arm to protect his head, which now thankfully was back to its usual state prior to that hair incident. 494 still did not know who was responsible for it.

_CRACK!_

He heard the crunch of bone in his arm and the sharp flare of pain in said arm. He rolled his eyes. _Great, _he thought_. Just what I needed. A freaking broken arm. _Without another moment's pause, he swung his leg at the X6, bringing her down.

He quickly disarmed one X6 with his un-injured arm, and shot a few of them in the chest, rendering them immobile.

He hated to shoot these kids, but what other choice he has? _Its them or us_, he thought, rushing over to help 511 who was trying to fight one X6 while another one clung on his back, intent on strangling him.

* * *

Back in the labs… 

_Max, you can do it. Focus! _She repeatedly tried to force her mind to retreat.

And felt her mind receding away from her body.

When she snapped her eyes open, she no longer feels the pain. Her expression once again set in a stony mask. But this time there was a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

The tech took a step back. Confused, and slightly unnerved by the sudden change. He took a breath. _She is restrained, and there is more than one armed guard here,_ he thought.Somehow, it did not make him feel any better.

He approached her again, carefully.

"Where is the disk? Who are you working for?" he asked again, yanking her head back by her hair.

Max just stared at him with those eyes. No other movement. Not even a twitch.

The tech pressed the shock button on the remote, sending a continuous jolt of electricity through Max's body. Her body jolted with the force. But her face gave no indication that she felt it.

"Fine" The tech said, grabbing a vial of liquid and a syringe. He pulled the liquid from the vial into the syringe slowly, making sure the transgenic in front of him noticed his actions.

"Another chance. Tell us and we will stop. Or you won't know what hit you,"

No answer. Max felt like this was happening to someone else, just that she happened to be in the body. She smiled, a feral smile which didnot reach her eyes.

She did not even feel the stab of the syringe as the tech jabbed it into her arm. She knew she should feel pain right now. A LOT of pain. She guessed that the syringe contain some neurological agent, designed to increase the sensitivity of pain receptors so that it reports a much enhanced feeling to the brain. Under normal circumstances, a feather light touch on her skin would feel like a painful scrape on an open wound. This must be a new Manticore concoction. She was not subjected to this in her previous stay in psy-ops. _Good thing shewas not feeling the full effect, _she thought.

Practically detached from her full senses now, Max could hear a faint sound of an alarm blaring in the distance.

* * *

"We have been doing this in shifts for the pastfour days. She's not telling us anything." The tech explained to Ronalds, who just came in to check on the progress for the third time. They were outside the interrogation room, in the corridor, watching Max through the one-way glass. 

"Anything yet?" Ronald asked, looking at the girl who was still strapped down. 452 had been silent each time he came. He was surprised at the length of time she held on. The rest of her unit has already completed the exercise. In one way or another.

"No" The tech answered, unsure whether to tell Ronald of his thoughts. Ronald had ordered him to continue when 452 did not show any sign of breaking 2 days ago. 2 days were the usual limit that they were working to for most of the X5s, some 3 days. He was worried that 452 may be too damaged.

"What did she say?" Ronalds asked.

"I'll show you the recordings" The tech moved towards the computer panel on the outside wall and started the video recording. The images started playing back on the screen.

Ronald almost smiled when he heard 452's words. _She is a feisty one._ _Just what we expected from a '09-er, _he thought.

"What did you give her?" Ronald asked when he saw the scene where Max was injected.

"The neural receptor enhancer. She didn't react to it at all even when we cut her!" The tech scratched his head. He hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to tell his superior what was on his mind.

He decided to risk Ronalds wrath, "Sir, I think we should stop. I think she has somehow separated her mind from body. Or else she is a hell of an actress. Short of physically mutilating her, I am not sure what else to throw at her. We have tortured her for almostfour days now. She's not sleeping, eating, drinking and most definitely not talking."

Ronald nodded. He needed to report this to Lydecker. Lydecker seem to have a particular interest in this one. Better to not cause her undue harm.

"Send her back. Wait. Get her to Med Bay first for check up"

* * *

Cursing Manticore generally and X6s in particular, 494 made his way to Med Bay, cradling his left arm. He took the shorter route through the building, wanting to get it over with as soon as he can, not very keen on being in the Med Bay. He was just there a couple of weeks ago after Advanced Interrogation, and did not look forward to being there again. Or ever. 

Somehow, he managed to get through that exercise without 'betraying' his mission. The exercise was not easy for him. Being in the psy-ops lab itself brought back memories which he preferred to keep buried. Memories of the torture they inflicted on him almost five years ago. All because a bunch of traitors decided to chicken out of training without a second thought for their fellow soldiers.

He was approaching a corner when he heard, _"… Short of physically mutilating her, I am not sure what else to throw at her. We have tortured her for almostfour days now. She's not sleeping, eating, drinking and most definitely not talking." Pause. Then, another voice "Send her back. Wait. Get her to Med Bay first for check up"_. He heard footsteps receding away from him.

_FOUR DAYS? I was only in there for 50 hours when they gave up and let me go. Not sure I could have survived any longer, _he thought. Pricked by curiosity to find out the identity of the girl, he turned the corner.

_Psy-ops interrogation labs,_ 494 noted with disgust. The sight of that place made him feel slightly ill.

He glanced through the glass into the familiar looking room as he passed. He saw a young girl, face obscured by dark hair, being released from the straps. She was clad in the standard issue Manticore garb, which has seen better days. 494 could see the blood streaks staining the front of her shirt. She was staring downwards as she got up on unsteady feet, one guard holding each of her arms. They led her towards the door.

494 stood aside to let them through. As they passed him, the girl looked up. Straight into his eyes.

494 felt a shiver up his spine. The large dark brown eyes werefull of an unidentified expression but clearly contain a certain feral gleam. Theybored into his. It was not the look of a defeated soldier. 494 could see the dark shadows under her eyes, slightly sunken cheeks, stained with dried blood and the caked blood on her hands.

_It is that '09-er, 452,_ he realized. _And what did they do to her hand? Did they go as far as to break her finger?_ 494 felt slightly ill at the thought.

The guards continued forward, dragging 452 between them.

He walked towards the Med Bay, trailing behind the guards and 452.

* * *

The Med Bay ward was set up like a dorm, with rows of beds covered in white sheet. The sterile room smelled of antiseptic. Some beds were already occupied with transgenics with various ailments. Generally broken body parts, as their genetically enhanced immune system prevents them from getting pretty much all viral and bacterial illnesses. 494 noted that the only transgenic who was awake, apart from himself and 452, was another X5 from unit 4. _Must be recovering from_ _Advanced Interrogation, _he thought.

A nurse was working on 452's hands and face, cleaning the numerous cuts and wounds with wads of cotton soaked in antiseptic solution. 494 walked towards the empty bed next to hers. As he approached, 452 gave no indication that she noticed his presence.

494 could see that the nurse was trying to get 452's attention with no avail. Then apparently giving up for the moment, she stood up, "Stay here. I am going to get some fresh bandages" he heard her say to 452, laying her hands gently on 452's shoulder.

After the nurse left, 494 sat down on the bed next to hers. He lookedat her silently, at first. She was staring straight ahead, not paying him or her surroundings any attention.

"Tsk…tsk…452, what have you done now? Got punished trying to escape again?" He taunted, waving a hand in front of her face.

Silence.

"Missing your so-called freedom much?" he tried again.

Silence. _The little bitch is ignoring me, _he thought, beginning to feel a tingle of annoyance. Annoyance, for some reason, was the feeling that he always seemed to associate with this particular transgenic.

"Hey, I am talking to you! What? Cat got your tongue? Or psy-ops decided to relieve you of it since you don't need it?" he prodded insistently.

Still no reaction from the silent girl in front of him.

Max could hear a very irritating noise next to her. _I know that voice, _she thought. She tried to struggle back to consciousness. It was hard. She buried her mind so deep that she was not sure she could wake up. She pushed herself forward. The voice was growing closer, louder. More irritating. She could almost make out the words now. _A little bit more, Max. Try a little harder, _she coaxed herself.

494 felt himself growing more annoyed. 452 was not responding at all. He decided to try a different tact.

"I suppose you ratted on your unit in the interrogation, huh. Cannot be trusted with important information now, can you?" he said, knowing fully well it was not true. "You turned traitor… That's what you '09-er's do, isn't it? Traitors. Deserters. Betrayers. And that's why you have nothing to say,"

"494, that's enough. Back off" 494 heard someone said. He turned and saw the boy from unit 4. _481, the 2IC,_ he thought. He plastered a cocky grin on his face.

"Or else what? What do you care anyway, 481. She is a traitor. Running away when things got a bit too hard, never even took the time to think of the rest of us. You want her to rub off on your unit as well?" 494 retorted, looking at him. He wondered if he had crossed the line when 481's lips compressed tightly in anger.

Suddenly 494 saw a blur and felt himself pushed down hard onto his bed, a hand gripping his throat. He gasped.

Max had heard enough. She was angry. All the torture during interrogation could not even penetrate her shield, but 494's words was enough to finally shock her awake. It was like a kick in the gut. She was not a traitor. She was not a deserter. She was not a betrayer. She was just pissed. As the haze in her mind cleared, she began to feel her painful limbs.

She saw 494, the creep who captured her. The one who took away her freedom. The one who put her here and gave them a chance to torture her. To _HURT _her. She couldn't stop herself.

She just reacted.

She launched herself at him, her arm snapping out to grab his neck, pushing him onto the bed. She had his neck in a death grip, her knees on his thighs holding him down. She tightened her grip, intent on silencing him. Forever.

494 reacted. He grabbed her wrist with his uninjured hand, trying to pry her hand away. He gasped for breath. He couldn't move; his legs were pinned and his other arm useless. His bewildered eyes locked onto her angry, flashing ones.

"Let go!" he rasped, forcing the words out of his throat. He was beginning to fear for his life. This 452 was not sane. He struggled, desperately trying to free himself from the transgenic who literally had his life in her hands.

Matt blurred towards them. He grabbed 452 around her waist, trying to pull her away from 494. She did not loosen her grip.

"452, let him go. He's not worth another round of psy-ops." 481 said, trying to get through to her. He tugged. Leaning in closer to her, _"Max! Stop it!"_ he whispered very softly into her ear, so soft that the other transgenic cannot hear.

Hearing her name, Max turned to Matt, finally registering the presence of her unit. She looked back at 494 in disgust, and released his neck, backing away from him.

She suddenly felt very tired, and in a lot of pain. Her head, her ribs and her fingers. She looked down at her bloody fingers. _I feel so weak,_ she thought. Her knees buckled.

Matt caught her before she could fall, lifted her and gently lowering her onto her bed. _What did they do to her? Was she in Interrogation all this time?_ He wondered. When he and 735 was brought to the Med Bay 2 days ago, he thought they were the last ones from their unit. 735 was released yesterday. He sat at the edge of her bed, looking at her. Her eyes were full of pain, and he could see a sheen of tears in them. He reached out to smooth her hair out of her eyes, catching a teardrop coming out of the corner of her eyes. She looked at him and smiled weakly.

"Thanks. You are right. He is not worth it. I guess I have to get that looked at," She said wearily, looking at her hands. Pause, then noticing that Matt was in a hospital gown, she asked, "Are you alright? How's everyone?"

_Shit! He couldn't tell her. Not right now,_ Matt thought. Outwardly he shrugged, a wry grin on his face, "I'll survive. I am just being discharged back to our unit. I think everyone else were discharged as well. Everything's okay,"

Max gave him a weak smile. Then remembering the last moments before she was dragged off to psy-ops, she asked in a worried tone, "Have you seen Gab?"

Matt looked away. He had dreaded this. He did not know how to tell her what he saw as they brought him out of the lab yesterday.

A worried frown marring her pale features, Max asked softly, "Matt? What's wrong? Where's Gab?" She was getting scared. _What was it that Matt didn't want to tell her?_

Matt turned back to her, noticing the fear on her face.

"Matt! Tell me!" she asked desperately.

* * *

**t.b.c.** (I am trying for the cliff-hanger effect! Is it working? Tell me what you think!) 

A/N: I know its self-promotion but if you like, you might want to check out the new story I posted. It's called Remember.

A/N: Also, I am now a certified review addict. Please review or I might expire! And no, I am definitely not kidding! –- grin -- Please?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: OMG! So MANY reviews! I was delirious with joy after reading your reviews. Thanks so much for making my day! Erm…my replies to your reviewsmade up a substantial part of this page, as you can see below!

**Mel11** – Mel, trust me ok. I just can't say too much right now,might spoil the story! Thanks for reviewing.

**Angel of Darkness231** – Gosh, that was a long review. Thanks! See, I have updated pretty quickly, so hold off the lightning strikes! Hope you like this one!

**Kungfuchick **– Err…Gab is not going back to interrogation. And that's all I will say:) Thanks so much for reviewing.

**Tarzo** – Thanks for reviewing. Keep on reading!

**Cora** – Nice to know its working, lol! Just making sure I keep you all on your toes. Thanks for the review.

**Honeyx5-452** – Thanks for reviewing. You have to forgive me an awful lot! Because this chapter is just as long (elle smiles sheepishly!)

**NoAngell** – Your questions will be answered soon (wink!). Thanks for your reviews. Glad you like the long chapters, though Honeyx5-452 may kill me one day for it!

**X5-459** – Thanks for reviewing. Max and Alec will eventually become friendlier, but not soon. That would be too easy!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Thanks for your reviews. With your psychic powers, you should know that you will find out soon about Gab! Yeah, I feel the same way towards Alec too, though it my own doing! ;p

**Lin** – Don't be too upset. Just trust me okay! Thanks for reviewing.

**Lady marauder** – (elle flinched and rubbed her ears) I can't tell you Gab is ok! Read the next two chapters? Please? And thanks for the shout…er…review.

**Messymissy** – Thanks for the long review. I agree with you about Max, because I am a great fan of the tough-chick character! Alec's character is still developing, so he may seem a bit odd now. As for Gab – no comment for now! I'm glad you find it entertaining – who else I am writing for, right?

**Nina26 **– Thanks for reviewing both chapters! Glad you liked the Max-Alec interaction. Read on and tell me what you think of this one!

**Angelofdarkness78 – **Gosh, thanks for the long review! And you are not rambling! Lack of imagination may possibly the reason why I did not change Max's personality! As for Gab (sigh), you better read on. I think it's better to keep Max and Alec apart for now (grin). Your fic is great as it is, and while we are at it – where's your update!

**Alana84** – Yeah, I could just imagine Max saying all those things! Alec had a close shave there (no pun intended, lol). You got to read on to find out about Gab (smiles evilly!). Thanks for the review!

**GuestTypePerson **– Hopefully you are reading this, hence easing my worry that you have been run over by a book cart since my last update! Hehe! Thanks for your review.

**Kelzaa** – Thanks for your review, and suggestion (smile). I have something like that later in the pipeline, so read on!

**-Right, shall we move on with the story then?-**

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 7 – Regaining Sanity**

A worried frown marring her pale features, Max asked softly, "Matt? What's wrong? Where's Gab?" She was getting scared. _What was it that Matt didn't want to tell her?_

Matt turned back to her, noticing the apprehension on her face.

"Matt! Tell me!" she asked desperately, her eyes full of dread.

Taking in a lungful of air and expelling it slowly to prepare himself, Matt finally answered, "I saw him as they were bringing me out couple of days ago. He was in the lab right opposite mine. There was a huge commotion. Apparently he put up quite a fight. I heard the guards talking. He got free of his restraints and knocked out the lab tech," Matt paused, unsure if he should continue.

He could see Max's eyes widen at his words. He really did not want to tell her when she was in this state; weakened and tired.

"What happened then?" Max asked insistently. She grabbed his arm, oblivious to the fact that she was staining his top with her blood.

Swallowing, Matt went on, "I saw him. It was as if he was possessed. I mean, how the heck did he manage to rip apart the straps just using his wrists? The alarm sounded. The guards came running. He just continued fighting them, even as they tasered him. He didn't seem to feel it,"

"Then one of them shot him," Matt finished softly.

"_NO!"_ Max cried in anguish. _No! Not Gab as well!_ The pain in her, both physical and emotional was too much for her to bear. She shook violently, unable to stop herself. Tears started to run freely down her cheeks as she stared ahead unseeingly.

Matt wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as she sobbed into his shoulder. He too could feel tears stinging his eyes. He had felt his heart stop momentarily when Gab went down under fire. And the sadness in him had never eased since then. The entire unit knew how close Max and Gab were. He could not even begin to imagine how she must feel. He ran his hands up and down her back, trying to comfort her.

Not long afterwards, Max slumped in his arms. Carefully, he raised her up to look into her face. His heart broke as he saw the pain in her eyes. Knowing that he should let her rest, he said, _"_You need to concentrate on recuperating. Rest, OK. Get well. I'll see you back in the unit,"

She did not protest as he lowered her gently to the bed, pulling the covers over her. He got up, then he remembered something. He faced 494 with a warning glare.

"Stay away from her, 494."

He left with that parting shot for the frowning 494.

494 bit back a retort. _This was not a good time,_ he thought. 494 had watched the exchange, subdued by the display. He was not close to her, but yet he still felt her anguish. He was surprised that she had the support of her unit. _Ah well, Manticore was always big on the unit thing. If she was in my unit…_he shook his head, not wanting to continue that thought. A_nd who was Gab?_

He rubbed his neck, his hand smeared with the bloodstains she left on him. _Even with her injured hand, she has a grip like a vice, _he thought. He knew that bruises in the shape of her fingers would soon be appearing around his neck.

He turned to look at her. Her eyes were shut in deep sleep, a small frown on her forehead. It seemed that everything has finally taken its toll on her body. _She looks so small and helpless, _he thought.

The nurse returned, and gasped when she saw the state of 452's hand. The result of their tussle. Or rather, her failed attempt to murder him.

"What happened?" she turned to ask him.

He shrugged, keeping his face expressionless.

The nurse turned to fix his arm after she tended to 452. Once she had finished, he got up to walk out of the Med Bay.

He recalled the day he and 480 went out on that mission in Seattle. He remembered the look on 452's face as he taunted her about 493 and for being traitors. That was one and a half years ago. _Has it really been that long? _And in all these time, it seemed that his antagonism towards 452 had not lessened.

_Has it?_

Now that he thought about it, he could not even remember why he always felt like treating her that way. _Does she deserve the way I have been treating her, _he wondered. He shook his head to clear the thought. Why did he care anyway?

Walking rapidly, he tried not to think about the incident with 452.

He did not want to think about this feeling which felt strangely like remorse.

* * *

Lydecker stabbed the pads on his phone, punching in the number stored in his memory. He was too angry to sit down behind the desk in his office. The beeping pulse emitted by the phone earpiece indicated that the number he dialled was ringing. _Pick it up, dammit, _he fumed impatiently. 

"Hello," A woman answered.

"I hope you have a good explanation for this," Lydecker started, without any preliminaries. He could not believe the nerve of that woman. If one of the lab techs had not told him, he would have remained in ignorance of what she did.

"Hello, Deck. How nice of you to call. How may I help?" the woman asked, ignoring his rudeness.

"Cut the crap, Renfro. You know what I mean. These are my kids, and you have no right to stick your foot in," he said in a hard voice. He had never bothered to hide his dislike for the way she operated.

"I am not sure I know what you mean, Deck. Care to elaborate?" Lydecker could almost see the smirk on her overly-painted face.

"The interrogation. I have the final say in it. It was not your call," Lydecker growled at her through the mouthpiece. His hands gripping the receiver so hard that his knuckles were white.

Renfro chuckled at the other end of the line, "Just trying to lend you my assistance. Thought you would appreciate it,"

"It was not within the test parameters to subject them to the interrogation for more than 48 hours. And don't tell me you don't know that. It was approved by the committee itself," Lydecker spat out.

"As part of the committee of directors, I have the right to make these decisions. Or to change them. You know that," Renfro said. Her calm tone in direct contrast with Lydecker's irate manner.

Without pause, he retorted, "Then why the blatant segregation between the 452 and the rest? They are soldiers. Favouritism is not acceptable. You can't make one rule for them and one for her,"

"Believe me, I can. I can also make your life hell if I wanted to, Deck. So you better tread carefully," Renfro warned softly.

Renfro's words temporarily halted Lydecker's tirade. Considering the meaning of her words, he asked in a calmer tone, "Is that a threat?"

"Only if you have reasons to take it that way," Renfro answered.

She hung up.

Lydecker remained standing in the same spot with the phone still in his hands. The meaning of her words could not be clearer. Renfro will do whatever it takes to remove him if it suited her. _That bitch!_ He needed to find a better way to stop her.

* * *

_Only 2 days out of med bay and we are back in the field, _Max grumbled. She was not in the best of moods. She was agitated, hot and sweaty and she had been trying to stay away from those blasted transgenics from unit 6 all night. _Bad enough that they have to do this damn exercise when I have barely recovered from that torture they call an exercise; it has to be with that creep's unit_, she thought. Her mind flashing back to the incident with 494 in the med bay. _Should have just snapped his neck_, she thought viciously. 

They were having a night stealth exercise. The objective was simple; seek and capture as many enemy forces as possible and bring them back to base before dawn. Unfortunately, she was slightly disadvantaged ever since her buddy, 612, was captured. They were ambushed earlier and 612 were not able to extract himself. As the two transgenics from Unit 6 had their hands full with 612, Max had managed to creep away undetected.

_This would not have happened if Gab was with her_, she thought. She and Gab trained so often together that they knew each other's thoughts before either of them voiced it. _Which would really help in this sort of stealth exercises._ She swallowed a lump in her throat and told herself not to cry. She cried enough in the Med Bay. Even the nurses started to worry.

Now she was crouched behind a tree, willing the two transgenics to leave without spotting her.

She let out the breath she was holding when they _finally_ decided to move away. Her legs were beginning to cramp. She lowered herself down to the ground and started sliding herself forward quietly on her knees and elbows. She needed to find and pair up with someone from her unit. She knew she will eventually be captured if she kept moving by herself. _Damn! Why can't we do this when its cooler! _She grouched in her head, wiping the sweat away out of her eyes. Her growing agitation was not helping.

A small rustle of leaves brought her movement to a halt.

_Shit! What now?_ Holding the rest of her body immobile, she slowly turned her head towards the direction of the sound. Not noticing anything out of place, she relaxed slightly, but remained where she was. Just in case. She waited.

A few seconds later, she saw a figure protruding from the side of a bush. Without her transgenic eyesight, she would not have spotted it, as it blended so well into the bushes. She also noticed another thing – the figure has a blue patch on his collar, denoting unit 6. And the figure was alone, Max noted. Her eyes lit up with glee and anticipation. Earlier she had captured one of them, a girl younger than herself, who was separated from her partner. Her designation was 432, she believed. Now she has a chance to get another one.

Max inched closer stealthily, thanking the fact that the breeze was blowing from the direction of the figure toward her, meaning that her approach was less likely to be detected. As she got closer, she realised that the figure was a male. She was surprised that she knew that, as she was still not able to see him clearly enough to make that deduction. She moved closer, her heart pounding in anticipation of the capture.

Her feet touched the ground soundlessly. A few more steps. She was close enough now.

She pounced, leaping towards him.

Obviously hearing her approach, he turned.

She landed right in his arms. Her eyes snapped up.

Shocked brown eyes met hazel eyes.

_No! No! NO!_

_494! Argh! Why must it be him? _Max almost screamed in frustration. She had this uncontrollable urge to stamp her foot childishly. She started to struggle against him, trying to escape from his hold. She yanked her arms from him and tried to knee him in the groin. 494 noticed the direction her knees was headed and tried to move away, loosening his hold. Seizing her chance, she swung and smashed her elbow hard into his jaw. She heard him hiss in pain as he released her. Max jumped away, glaring into his furious face.

"It's just an exercise 452! No need to cause me permanent injury," he spat at her, rubbing his sore jaw. He could almost see the dark spots swimming in his eyes from the blow. He shook his head to clear it.

Max stood in front of him in a fighting stance, trying to calm her breathing. _That's odd, she was not doing anything much. So why the breathlessness,_ she wondered, feeling strangely unsettled. She stared at 494, _Why she never noticed how good looking he was?_ Her eyes travelled from the top of his tousled head, down to his glittering hazel eyes and further down to his sexy lips. Max wondered how those lips would feel against her. A ripple of excitement surged through her.

Licking her lips, she decided that this moment was as good time as any to find out.

* * *

494 saw the change of expression in her eyes. In the matter of seconds, the glare in her eyes had turned into confusion, then into something softer but more predatory. He shuddered at the look she gave him. It was as if she wanted to devour him whole. Despite knowing that it would look silly, he backed away from her. She advanced on him, hips swaying. 

As she came closer, he began to notice a smell in the air. It was warm, sultry and intoxicating. It was a heady smell. He took a deeper breath and felt himself harden.

He looked into the pair of eyes which were boring into his intently. He noticed 452 wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue. It looked soft. _Would it taste good?_ He wondered.

He froze as the realisation struck him in a sudden moment of clarity.

_452 was in heat! Shit! We are in trouble._

494 could not move. He felt 452 coming up to him, pressing her body against his. He knew in his mind that he should run as far as he could away from her, but he still could not make his limbs obey his mind. He never had been close to a female in heat before, despite hearing all sorts of stories about it. They were usually subdued by the guards before anything happened. In all these time, he had never heard an incident happening during field training.

Where there were no guards about.

She backed him into a tree. He strained as he clenched his fists beside him, forcing himself not to reach out to touch her.

"452! Snap out of it!" 494 said harshly. His eyes searched her molten brown ones. He felt as if he was drowning in them. As if he was in a trance, he reached out a hand and gently stroke her face. Then softer, he begged weakly, "Please! 452, you got to stop this,"

452 didn't answer. She just looked into his eyes and offered her parted lips up to him.

494 could not help himself; he lowered his head, capturing her lips in his. He moaned at the sensation as he grasped her head to keep her there. He moved his lips over hers, hungrily devouring her soft flesh. She moaned as he slid his tongue within the recesses of the mouth to taste her. Her flavour exploded in his mouth the second her tongue curled around his.

Suddenly he felt himself abruptly yanked off her. He heard 452 mewl in protest. _What?_ He looked around in confusion. And extreme irritation at the interruption.

735, 422 and 332 was standing glaring at him.

"This is a highly irregular behaviour. What do you think you are doing, 494?" 735 hissed at him angrily. Her hand was clamped tightly around 494's arm.

452's CO, his muddled mind registered.

"Back of 735, its none of your business," 494 growled at her. He knew in his head that he was being unreasonable, but he can't seem to stop the irrational feeling. He wanted their absence so that he and 452 could continue what they were doing prior to the rude interruption.

422 decided to intercept 452 who was trying to throw herself back at 494. He growled again at the obstruction. 735 grabbed him and tackled him to the ground. She ended up sitting on the ground with her arms wrapped around him. 332 held his legs immobile.

"735, I am warning you. Take our hands off me or you'll regret it!" 494 struggled. It was useless. They got him pinned. He glared at 735.

Noticing that other girls were touching 494, 452 snarled, "Don't touch him! He's mine!" she shrieked in anger and frustration. She tried to push 422 away but blinded by lust, she couldn't focus her energy in the right direction.

The other female transgenics paused as 452's words sank in. Finally realising the reason behind the uncharacteristic behaviour of the two transgenics, 422 said, "735, I think 452 is in heat,"

As understanding dawned in 735's eyes too, she said, "We need to get her to Isolation. Give the signal,"

422 lifted the whistle and blew two short and two long burst, the emergency signal to terminate the exercise and retreat back to the facility.

After deciding that they should not wait for the rest of their unit, as they were mainly males, they half dragged, half carried the struggling 494 and 452 back to the facility.

* * *

Three days later, Max finally emerged from Isolation. She rubbed her sore wrist. The guards had decided to strap her down after she tried to attack once of them. She flushed in embarrassment. They have learnt about Heat in their Sex-Ed classes but this was her first. And it was not pleasant. She did not like the lost of self control that heat brought with it. _Next time, I'll know what to do; Isolation. Pronto_! She told herself, walking towards the mess hall. 

She was starving. She had barely eaten in the last three days. Pushing the swing door open, she walked into the mess hall and after grabbing her tray of food, headed towards her unit.

"Hi guys," she said, sitting down.

"Hey 452! Welcome back! How are you feeling?" Matt asked, twinkle in his eyes. Their CO had told them what happened.

"Not too bad considering I had practically no food and no sleep for the last few days. So how's everything?" Max asked, and proceeded to spoon the mash into her mouth hungrily.

"Not much. The place was pretty peaceful without you… But sadly, as you can see, peace no more," Matt eyes rolled dramatically.

Max took a break from her plate to land a smack up his head, causing him to choke on his juice. She patted his back roughly.

"Sorry," she said insincerely, going back to her food.

"Glad to have you back with us anyway. You gave us quite a scare that day," 735 said, looking at her. She was relieved to see that the newest member of her unit survived her first heat unscatched.

"Sorry…" she swallowed he foodand continued, "I really didn't know it was coming. And also sorry for wrecking the exercise," Max apologised, looking around at her unit sheepishly.

A chuckle went around the table, and Matt said, "No…we should be thanking you for that. At least we managed to catch a few hours sleep thanks to you! I hate these night exercises. It's alright for those of you with shark DNA, but not for the rest of us,"

Max laughed. Then she sobered as she remembered. _Gab…Gab was the only other one with shark DNA in her unit._ She swallowed the lump in her throat, looking down at her place. The food was no longer appealing.

Noticing Max's subdued expression and guessing the reason behind it, Val tried to distract Max. She looked at Max with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "So… before we got to you… You seemed to be having quite a bit of fun."

Snapping out of her misery, Max groaned in embarrassment as she recalled the incident. She buried her head in her hands, "Please don't remind me of that…" She dreaded having to face 494 after this.

The rest of Unit 4 started laughing at the dejected look on her face. Max glared at them.

As they filed out of the mess hall, Max felt someone's gaze on her back. She turned and started right into a pair of hazel eyes. She flinched involuntarily in mortification.

* * *

494 noticed her the minute she walked into the mess hall. That was no surprise. He had not been able to keep his mind off 452 since that incident three days ago. After her unit found her and separated them, he had been wanting to see if she was alright. 

As the bell which signalled the end of the meal rang, 494 got up and walked towards 452. He saw her stiffen visibly as she somehow felt his presence. She turned to face him.

"Hello, 452. Recuperated yet?" 494 asked, smirking. He noticed her discomfort the minute her eyes met his.

452 frowned. "Do you make it a point to spoil my day every time you see me? And why is it that you always have to come up with these sort of smart-aleck comments?" she retorted, irritation evident in her voice.

"No. Just concerned about your well-being, that's all," 494 said, laughter in his eyes.

"It has nothing to do with you, so don't worry your pretty head," Max said snidely.

"Really? If you remember correctly, I was there when you…uh… were temporarily disabled. I seemed to remember a certain 452 saying that I am hers, after warning her unit not to touch me. Now _that _definitely sounded very much like it has something to do with me," 494 prodded. Heenjoyed seeing her squirm.

Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of making her uncomfortable, she decided to change her tactics. Giving him a sickly sweet smile, Max said, "Aww, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it meant so much to you. But I changed my mind since then. Did so pretty quickly once my heat had dissipated enough for me to regain my sanity," She smirked.

As she walked away, she felt a surge of satisfaction as her back burned with the intensity of 494's glare.

* * *

That night was one of those rare ones which Max found herself needing sleep. She yawned as she pulled the covers over herself, snuggling cat-like into her bunk. Not that the bunk was particularly comfortable. Manticore did not believe in providing comfort for their million dollar R&D prototypes. But right now, she could be huddled under a stack of cardboard boxes and would still find it as comfortable. 

Max was drifting in the no-mans-lands between sleep and wake when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Instantly awake, she sat up.

"Shh…" a very soft voice whispered, "It's me, Max,"

Max squinted as she tried to see the form in front of her. _Why could she not focus on the person?_ She wondered. Finally, she managed to make out an outline of a female body.

Realising who it was, she asked softly, "Cammy?"

The blurry form nodded and said, "Come downstairs. We have something to tell you,"

All thoughts of sleep suddenly evaporated from Max's mind as she noted the urgency in Cammy's soft voice.

**t.b.c.**

* * *

A/N: Okay, I know that this chapter has probably caused a full-blown outrage, if not mutiny out there amongst Gab's fans (-elle6778 ducks quickly as readers throw virtual rotten eggs - Ouch, that hurts! And EWW! -). Promise not to kill me if I update within the week? Please? And hey, I DID put in some Max-Alec action this time, so am I forgiven? If you are not too mad at me, _please review_, or should I say rant? (-tentative smile-) 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: You all must be the best readers and reviewers in the world! Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me what you think. It really helps in developing the story!

**NoAngell** – You read this story at 7.33am? I am flattered! Again your questions should be answered in this chapter (lol!)! Thanks for reviewing, especially at that time in the morning!

**HoneyX5-452** – Thanks for reviewing. I thought a little Max-Alec action would be appreciated after the Gab incident!

**Eva (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing! Aw, it's not all that bad (smile)! Read on – I hope you will feel better about this chapter.

**Kelzaa** – Hehe! What do you think? About your suggestion…(grin) you'll see! Thanks for your review.

**X5-459 (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing! Glad you liked the heat plot. As Max and 494 are going to argue a whole lot more, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

**Mel11** – Lol! Glad that you love the story so far and the heat scene. Keep your last review in mind and read on. Then tell me what you think! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick **– Thanks for your review. As for your question, Max is around 14, hence her first heat. I made 494 a year older. I have written the years subtly in the story in relation to year of her capture, but I guess it's not obvious - Sorry! (grin)

**Cora (anon)** – lol! I am just trying to make sure this story has its ups and downs. Glad you liked Max's unit. The characters took quite some time to develop! And thanks for reviewing.

**Iridescent Twilight** – Goodness, don't be so mad at me! I hope this chapter will make up for it. Your scary threats (amongst others) have prompted me to spend this entire weekend writing, happy! 3000+ words update in 3 days, and I updated 'Remember' at the same time! Hehe! Thanks for the threat…er…review.

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Thanks for the review and aw, don't cry! It's not that bad, you'll see. Ah, 494's name? I have it planned…let me check…in Chapter 15 - Long time to go! Hehe! I saw your site – liked the descriptions, it matches their appearances.

**Angelofdarkness78** – Hey, thanks for reviewing and for dedicating Chapter 36 to me! Okay, I am reminding you now not to have a family reunion again, lol! Sorry you felt sad about Gab, hopefully this chapter will cheer you up a bit! Let me know what you think, OK!

**Nina26** – Glad you liked the chapter despite what happened to Gab; and no outrage (smile). Yeah, I am trying to pull 452 and 494 together…slowly, as you can probably see! Thanks for reviewing.

**Alana84** – Thanks for the review! This chapter will bring up everything you said in your review (wink). Yup, Max had her first heat around 14.

**GuestTypePerson (anon)** – Phew! Good to hear from you. Beginning to worry. Hmm…I thought this ending was pretty tame compared to the last one! I guess so long as I see you reviewing (thanks btw!), I guess it's safe to assume that you are still safe from the evil carts, lol! As for nuns, it takes much more effort to post there as I have to fumble through Frontpage, hence the delay (that's saying something about my crappy website skills). Read on, and tell me what you think of this chapter (grin)

**-Quickly moving on…-**

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 8 - Discovery**

After Cammy's departure, Max tried to sneak out of her dorm quietly without waking any of her unit member. None of them were aware of her other friends in the basement. Her feet, clad with a pair of Manticore standard issue white socks, barely made any sound as she stealthily tip-toed her way across the room. As she reached the door, a soft sound made her pause.

She looked back to find Matt right behind her, his eyebrows raised in question. As he opened his mouth, she raised her finger to her lips to silence the question he had on the tip of his tongue. Silently, she signalled for him to return to bed, and that she will fill him in him later.

As he shook his head vehemently in refusal, Max repeated her signal urgently. She really wanted to go down to the basement and she did not want Matt to come along. It was not because she did not trust him, but she did not know what to expect downstairs. Cammy was not very forthcoming when Max tried to ask her.

Matt was adamant that he was coming with her. Max sighed in resignation. In the end, she just nodded.

* * *

They did not meet with any resistance on their way down to the basement. Once they rounded the last corner in the dimly lit basement and entered a room, Matt's eyes widened as he took in the sight in front of him. 

_Anomalies!_

Matt could hardly believe what he was seeing. He tensed in alarm as the anomalies turned towards them, darting a worried glance at Max. _What does Max thinks she is doing coming down here,_ he thought frantically. Falling back to his training, he instantly looked around for an alternative escape route.

Noticing the male X5 and his reaction, Kelpy, Cammy, Hulk and even Joshua stood up slowly from the crates they were sitting on. Their wariness was evident in the way they held themselves as they eyed the stranger. Both X5 and anomalies assessed each other carefully.

In her rush to get down here, Max had neglected to consider that this might happen. She looked back and forth between her friends. As she sensed the tension in the air, she held up her hands and said, "Whoa, guys! Chill!"

"Who's this, Max?" Hulk growled, his eyes assessing Matt distrustfully. Apart from Max, they had never come into contact with any other X5s; apart from the times when some of them were dragged down to the basement for punishment.

At the same time, Matt asked, "Max, what's going on?" He flicked a quick glance at the girl beside him, not wanting to take his eyes away from the anomalies any longer than necessary.

Looking back and forth between her friends, Max said, "Right. Let's get the introduction over with, shall we? Matt, meet Joshua, Hulk, Kelpy and Cammy. Guys, meet Matt, my unit's 2IC. Now that we all know each other, can you all calm down please? Have a seat," Max sat on one of the crates, patting the empty spot next to her while looking at Matt. Joshua, Hulk, Kelpy and Cammy did the same.

Matt remained standing in the same spot, unsure.

Max exhaled in exasperation, thinking that she should have known this would happen. Impatiently she said, "Matt, you wanted to come with me, and you did. So sit down already,"

Matt moved wordlessly towards her and sat down, still warily keeping his eyes on the anomalies. He had been worried about Max since he told her what happened to Gab. Most of the time Max seemed to manage to hide her feelings, but occasionally Matt could detect the raw anguish in her eyes. And it worried him that since then, she never uttered a word in relation to Gab. So he had decided to keep an eye on her. But when he insisted on following Max earlier, this was the last thing he expected to encounter.

Deciding to ignore the discomfort of the other transgenics, Max went straight to the point and asked, "Cammy, what was it you wanted me down here for?" She hoped that Cammy would tell her the purpose of this meeting before a fight broke out between Matt and the rest.

Cammy fidgeted as she threw a not so subtle glance at Matt before she raised her questioning eyes to Max.

Understanding the unspoken question, Max said reassuringly, "It is alright. He is a friend. Go on. What is it?"

At Max's assurance, Cammy said, "Remember what you told us that day, Max? About the interrogation and what they did to you and your friend?" Cammy waited for Max to nod before continuing, "Well, last night, Kelpy went up again. You know what he's like when he is bored,"

Max gave Kelpy an indulgent smile, "Yeah. Kelpy the wandering chameleon," she teased. Then facing Cammy, she asked, "So?" That was nothing new. Ever since Max taught them to how to fool the sensors and monitors, Kelpy had been wandering about Manticore at night whenever he felt bored. Being a chameleon, it was relatively easy to avoid detection. "But what were you saying about the interrogation? Was Manticore carrying out more tests, Cammy?"

Kelpy answered instead, "No, not that I can see. Anyway, I was walking about as usual. Then in one of the hallways just off the med bay, I saw the colonel. He was talking to one of the nurses,"

Max interrupted, worried now, "Kelp, you really ought to be more careful. What if the colonel saw you?"

Kelpy shook his head, "He didn't see me. Anyway, what I want to say is that I overheard them talking about some X5 who was in intensive care. Apparently they were surprised at the speed he was healing after his injuries,"

"So? What has that got to do with us?" Max interrupted again, the growing frown on her forehead indicating her confusion. X5s were expected to heal fast. And X5s in med bay or intensive care was a common occurrence. Especially after interrogations. Also, with all those training and exercises, they could hardly be expected to remain unscathed.

Kelpy shushed her. "Wait, Max. Let me finish," Kelpy said impatiently. "The X5's designation was 547,"

Max gasped, her eyes wide as she absorbed his words.

Matt shot up from his crate. _Could it really be…_

"_Gab?"_ Max whispered, as a slow smile started spreading across her face.

* * *

The three transgenics crept silently along the hallway; the monitors were already temporarily disabled by Kelpy a moment ago. They knew they had to be quick so that the guards would not catch on to their activities. As they approached another hallway, Kelpy un-blended so that they could see him clearly and signalled them to stop. In reflex to her training, Max and Matt held their breath as they listened for footsteps. 

Realising what Max was doing, Kelpy shook his head at her. He pointed upwards at an almost hidden grey object, which was thankfully directed away from the hallway they were in. "Monitors," he mouthed to Max and Matt. It took him couple of seconds to blend further into the wall as he moved towards the monitor, quickly disabling it. Turning back to the other two transgenics, he un-blended slightly and gestured for them to follow him into a room.

Max and Matt went into the room after Kelpy, closing the door behind them. The room was dark, but turning on the lights were out of the question.

Max could hear the regular beeps emitted by some machine not too far to her right. She blinked rapidly, forcing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. As her vision improved, she found what she was looking for. She walked over slowly towards the bed, her eyes never leaving the form tucked under the sheets.

Her vision blurred as she knelt beside the bed, her hand reaching out for the larger one resting on the crisp white sheets. She could feel her eyes stinging with tears of relief.

"Gab," she whispered softly, holding his hands. She could hardly believe that he was right here beside her. Alive!

At her voice, he stirred. Max's eyes lit up.

Blinking his eyes open, he croaked, "Max?"

All choked up with so many different feelings, Max just nodded. She did not trust herself to speak; she could already feel the tears sliding down her cheeks.

As weak as he was, Gab still managed to read her. "Hey, what's all that for?" He said softly as he reached out a hand, gently wiping her tears away. It surprised him that Max allowed him to see her tears. She was always so strong, nothing could faze her. The fact that she actually cried over him made him feel warm all over.

"Nothing," she sniffed, brushing the rest of her tears away with the back of her hand. She squeezed the larger hand she held in her own smaller ones, "Just glad to find you alive, I guess,"

"What? You think it was so easy to get rid of me?" he snorted. He winced as the effort caused a stab of pain in his side and his shoulder. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth.

Max eyed him with concern. Her eyes sought permission from his before she lifted the sheets to assess the damage. As he nodded, she pulled the sheets down to reveal the bandages crisscrossing his torso.

"Five shots," he said quietly, looking down at his chest, "Two in the shoulders, one in my side and another two in my legs," he explained as Max studied his wounds.

Feeling uncomfortable under her perusal, he changed the subject. His eyes returned to hers as he said, "So, how did everyone else do? Come to think of it, how long have I been in here?"

Matt, who had remained just inside the door to give Max some privacy, now decided to make his presence known.

"The rest of us were not as lucky as you are," Matt teased, "What a way to get out of ten days of training!"

Gab grinned as he saw his 2IC. He did not notice him standing there earlier, "Wow, TWO of you risking punishment to come see me! I am really flattered. Now, I am not too surprised to see Max. But you? Our 2IC? Aren't you afraid that you may get demoted or something?"

Matt shook his head as he wryly returned Gab's grin, "I see that your mouth is unfortunately still intact,"

Suddenly remembering who was responsible for this reunion, Max gestured to Kelpy, "Gab, meet Kelpy. He was the one who helped us get to you,"

Gab frowned as he thought he saw Kelpy _solidify_ from a shadow. Gab shook his head in an attempt to clear it.

"Shit, I am hallucinating now. Must be all the drugs they kept pumping into me," he grumbled. He hoped that the injury and the drugs would not have any permanent side effects.

The other three transgenics laughed softly.

"It's not the drugs. Kelpy is part chameleon, so he blends into his surroundings," Max explained.

Gab took a second look at the grinning Keply and decided, chameleon or not, he liked look of the guy. When he was visible, of course. Suddenly feeling sleepy, Gab tried to stifle his yawn before his friends could see it. He did not want them to go. He missed them.

Matt noticed Gab's unsuccessful attempt to conceal his tiredness and immediately realised that they were keeping Gab away from his sleep. Matt said to him, "I think we better go now. You need your rest, and we need to get back before dawn,"

"Okay, I'll see you back in the unit. Soon, I hope," Gab said. This time he could not hide his yawn.

"You stay out of trouble okay. Get well," Max said. She wanted to hug him, but it was impossible with his numerous wounds. So she planted a kiss on his forehead instead.

Gab grinned and said mischievously, "If getting shot five times was all it took for me to get a kiss from you, I would have done it earlier. Would you go for the lips if I get shot a few more times?"

Max rolled her eyes in exasperation, "I would smack you for that if you were not injured,"

Matt and Kelpy laughed.

* * *

Almost oneyear later...

494 walked towards the door leading to the gym. He had come here hoping to relieve some of the restlessness that has been building up inside him, since he wasn't sleepy at all tonight. He just returned from an away mission, which he found mind-numbingly boring. Two months of baby-sitting a 15 year old high-school nerd was enough to drive him to suicide. The son of the senator never did anything more energetic than typing on the keyboard. And 494 had to stay by his side all that time, supposedly protecting him. And now he have enough pent-up energy to last him years.

His mind wandered to 452, as it always has done since that fateful day almost a year ago in the woods. He could not understand why he could not get her out of his mind. It was not as if they were close, their relationship was far from that. _It must be my deprived hormones subconsciously craving hers,_ he mocked himself as he tried to justify his odd preoccupation with the '09-er.

It has been four months since he last saw 452 in the mess hall. Since then he knew that unit 4 was sent out for the two-months Survival training in the woods surrounding the facility; part of their extended training ground. Unit 4 and Unit 6's schedules never coincided. He wondered why their units were never paired up for exercises as his unit and Unit 5 sometimes did. He mentally shook his head, _Not that he actually want to be training with unit 4 anyway._

Still distracted with his thoughts, he pushed open the door open and entered the dark room. Once inside, he realised belatedly that someone has beaten him to the gym.

His attention occupied as he tried to lower himself from the ropes, the other transgenic did not turn around as he said over his shoulders, "It's about time you got here, Max! I've been waiting for an hour,"

494 stiffened. He remembered that it was what 452's 2IC called her back in the med bay. 494 knew that it was a breach of protocol to use anything apart from their designation as a form of identification, but he did not see the harm in it.

494 decided to correct the other transgenics error. He cleared his throat and said, "I am sure that it's not me that you were waiting for. I am not Max, obviously,"

The dark haired transgenic turned around abruptly at 494's voice, and slid rapidly down the rope. Turning to face 494, he said cautiously, "Uh, did you hear me say Max? I said no such thing. You are hearing things,"

Brushing aside the obvious attempt at cover up, 494 waved his hands dismissively, "Whatever. I am 494. CO of Unit 6," he said as an introduction.

"547. Unit 4. Not a CO," Gab inclined his head as he returned 494's introduction.

494 raised his eyebrows, "So, you were waiting for 452, huh? Midnight tryst?" he said as he tried to keep his expression blank. _So this was 452's type?_ He studied 547's mildly Mediterranean appearance. Like any other X-series, 547 was good-looking. For some reason, he suddenly felt an immediate dislike towards the other transgenic.

Unaware of the thoughts running through 494's head, Gab frowned as he asked suspiciously, "What makes you think I am waiting for 452?" He felt a surge of panic as he realised 494 knew who Max were. He could not believe that of all people, it had to be Max's arch-enemy who caught him using her name. Max would be so pissed at him.

"Oh, cut the crap. I overheard your 2IC calling her that when we were in med bay after Interrogations," 494 said impatiently. He was not too bothered about politeness at this point. He did not see the reason for it; he did not like the other transgenic.

Gab suddenly remembered what Matt told him about that day in med bay, about what 494 said to Max. Gab couldn't stop himself from retorting, "You mean the day you took advantage of her weakness to taunt her," Although Gab recalled the other thing Matt told him, he decided not to mention Max's heat incident. He did not want to even want to think of Max being touched by someone she hated so much.

494 felt his irritation rise as the other transgenic reminded him of that day. He had tried very hard to forget what an ass he had been to 452. The last thing he wanted was for someone to bring it up. His irritation made his words sound harsher than he intended, "I don't have to justify my actions to you; I happen to hold a higher ranking than you. What is it to you anyway?"

Gab was incensed at the tone of 494's retort and the rank-pulling, not to mention the heat incident. He had no intention of letting 494 get away with that remark. Gab gritted his teeth as he said, "She is right, then. You are really a jerk,"

Annoyed now, 494 snorted. Before he really thought through what he was about to say, the words escaped his mouth, "You sound exactly like her. Been rubbing off you, has she? Spend more time with her and she might even turn you into a traitor," he mocked.

"You are really asking for it,"

That was all the warning 494 got before the other transgenic attacked him.

* * *

Max was on her way to the gym after her visit to her friends in the basement. Gab had said that he will wait for her there. Max smiled as her thoughts went back to those weeks almost twelve months ago. 

It seemed like it was just yesterday when she was crying her eyes out because she thought he was dead. She remembered how happy she was when Gab finally returned to their dorm. That night, she was lying down on her bunk, sleepless as usual. Since her return from Interrogations, she had slept facing away from Gab's bunk, not wanting to see the unoccupied space there. She did not want to go to the gym either as it reminded her of her friend as well.

Sudden footsteps from the hallway had caught her attention. She had tensed when the door to their dorm swung open. She remembered thinking that it was odd for the guards to check in on them so late at night. Max could also remember the pounding of her heart as a shadow appeared in the pool of light front of the door. When Gab entered the dorm, Max recalled herself blurring and flinging herself onto him. The noisy reunion had woken the rest of the unit, which joined in. Miraculously, the guards were not alerted.

Max hesitated as she approached the door to the gym. There were noises which sounded suspiciously like sparring to her. She frowned. She knew Gab was waiting for her inside, but who else was in there with him? No way it could be Matt or Val; they needed their sleep.

Cautiously, she pushed the door open.

Her jaw dropped as she took in the sight that greeted her entrance.

* * *

**t.b.c.** (…soon?) 

A/N: So? How did you all find it? Hehe, I would not have killed him off; he actually has fans out there! Please review, you know the feeling – you look forward to updates, I look forward to your reviews (grins)!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: I can definitely hear the sounds of joy in the last lot of reviews from you all! Gosh, didn't know Gab found himself so many fans! And I really appreciate all your reviews – very much! Can't wipe the grin off my face when I read them. So, I decided to write a longer chapter this time…just for you!

**Mel11** – Yup…you are right! I wasn't going to kill him off! ;P The anomalies kind of freaked Matt out, poor guy! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked Kelpy. I might have to write him in more often then! About the fight, you will find out the results soon…

**Angel of Darkness231** – Hehe! Come on, the ending is not so bad ;P ! I took your advice and added '1 year later' to the last chapter. Gosh, I don't even _know _what is a HTML code. Good luck with the site and thanks for reviewing.

**Claire (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, it would have been cruel to kill Gab. Max would be so devastated. As for 494, he will improve, no doubt about that! The question is – when! (grins)

**Nina26** – Oops…I did not deliberately make Max popular with the males, but now that you pointed it out, it does appear that way! Lol! Thanks for your review.

**Cora** **(anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Hope you like this chapter!

**Kelzaa** – Ha! Yes, I guess you could say that… But jealousy comes in many shapes and forms (winks). Thanks for reviewing!

**Eva (anon)** – Thanks for your review and I am so happy that you think the story is original. Yup… Due to popular demand, Gab is alive and kicking, not that I would really kill him anyway – I value my life too much!

**HoneyX5-452** – Thanks for reviewing. I see you are another Gab fan. So glad I did not disappoint you all! Erm…I think I better warn you in advance – this chapter is much longer than the usual ;P

**Alana84**– Thanks for your review. You guessed it right in your last review, I had to try so hard not to let the cat out of the bag! Gab _is_ sexy in my mind! Lol! Read on and tell me what you think.

**Gamegirl452** – Oh, yeah! It's further along here because I am hopeless at websites! I am happy that you like the story. It's my first full-blown series and it's quite close to my heart! Argh! Enough sappiness from me! Thanks for reviewing!

**X5-459 (anon)** – Thanks for your review. I hope Gab coming back was a good surprise (grins)! About the MA moments; we'll get more eventually, I promise! It's after all, supposed to be a MA fic!

**Angelofdarkness78 – **I'm beginning to realise that some of you out there know the story better than I do! Lol! And I was trying so hard to make it seem like Gab's really gone. About your question;_ right now_, it is the latter. Thanks for reviewing.

**NoAngell** – Oops…sorry about the 'x years later' thing. Try to make it more subtle next time! Hard to say who's going to win…Anyway, you'll find out soon (winks). Thanks for reviewing.

**Iridescent Twilight** – I laughed when I read your review. Lol! Thanks for brightening up my day! Unfortunately I was at work when I read it, so my colleagues were giving me funny looks. So I know how you feel! Hmm…now that you mentioned it…killing Max or Alec… (grins evilly!)

**GuestTypePerson** – Gosh, you figured it out as well! You guys know the story better than I do! Nah, no more cart-accident-inducing moments; my 'suspense' muse decided to move to my other story, Remember. But still, I have to persevere in getting it back into the next few chapters! Just to keep you on your toes! Thanks for the review.

**Lin (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Hehe! I guess you another fan of Gab's!

**Now on with the story….**

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 9 – Alpha Selection**

Her jaw dropped as she took in the sight that greeted her entrance.

Max could not believe her eyes. Recently, there was a surge in the numbers of unsanctioned fights between the male transgenics, particularly amongst the X5s. All units had been warned by Sergeant Hales to keep the discipline, or face punishment. Just last week, Matt had a tussle with another transgenic from unit 5 over something so inane; she couldn't even remember what it was all about. The result of that, apart from the extensive injuries, was three days of punishment for each of them.

Now it was Gab and 494, of all people. She noted that although they looked as if they were evenly matched, Gab was worn out. After training for so long with her friend, she recognised the signs. 494 was not in a much better shape, though he looked as if he could go on longer. She knew that she needed to stop them before it was too late. Her eyebrows furrowed as she strode towards them, her lips set in a grim line. She was furious at the thoughtlessness of the two male transgenics. _Are they asking to be punished?_ _Don't they know better than to do this? WHY are they doing this anyway?_ She thought, irritated.

"Hey!" She tried to gain their attention unsuccessfully. Then louder, she yelled, "HEY!"

Her voice managed to distract 494; his eyes flicked momentarily in her direction. Too late, he realised how much that split second of distraction costed him as Gab's fist connected forcefully. His head snapped to the side. _Damn, he's got a helluva punch, _494 thought grudgingly. Scowling in anger, 494 focused his attention and advanced purposefully towards Gab. Gab stood, prepared in a fight stance as he anticipated his attacker's moves.

As Max noticed 494's intent, she decided that she needed to physically interrupt to stop the fight. Steeling herself, she launched herself in front of 494, blocking the punch meant for Gab.

494, surprised at the rude interruption, tried to shove her to the side as he said, "Stay out of it, 452!"

Max barely avoided his hand but stubbornly remained in front of him. Her eyes relayed her furyGlaring sideways to and from the two male transgenics, she said, "Stop it, you two! You are going to alert the guards!"

As Gab registered the near-miss Max had with 494's hand, he hissed at her, "Get out of the way Max. This is between me and the jerk over there," He was worried that Max may get hurt in the midst of his and 494's fight.

494's ire rose as he heard the other transgenic's words. "Who are you calling a jerk!" 494 spat out as he tried to advance again to find himself restrained by a small hand. He flung the offending hand away, shoving the owner in the process. This time his shove found its target, throwing Max to the floor. Unrestrained now, 494 barely spared her a glance before he swung a kick at Gab.

As he saw Max fall, Gab started towards her with concern. Distracted, he did not see the kick which was coming his way. 494's kick threw him painfully across the room. He slammed onto the wall head first with a loud thud. The plaster on the wall cracked at the impact.

Pissed at being dumped so unceremoniously on the floor, Max jumped to her feet just as Gab hit the wall. When she saw her friend slide unconscious down the wall, she felt her temper reach its boiling point. Turning towards 494, she snarled threateningly, "You got it coming, ass-hole!" Her small foot snapped up in a graceful arc, aimed at 494.

Surprised at her unexpected attack, 494 ducked just in time to avoid her kick to his head. As he lowered his head, Max brought up her other knee and slammed it into his face. He jerked and staggered back, but he remained on his feet. Winded, he swayed for a moment before shaking his head in an attempt to clear it. Moving his head side to side, he cracked his neck back into a more comfortable position. Well, as comfortable as he could get considering the pounding pain in his head. He realised that he had underestimated her. That knee bash would have done him in if he hadn't had such a hard skull. _No holding back_, he told himself.

Eyeing Max carefully, he blurred the short distance towards her. Feigning a move, he distracted her enough to swipe her feet from under her.

Max let herself fall. Once she hit the floor, she rolled immediately to the side to avoid 494's foot coming down on her. His foot missed her chest by only a fraction of an inch. She flipped herself up. She stared at him warily, realising that he was a tougher opponent than she expected.

The two of them circled each other slowly, each trying to find an opening.

Tired of the cat and mouse game, Max attacked, aiming her punches at his chest. 494 appeared to have the same thoughts. They clashed in a flurry of punches. They each got in a few punches. Max could felt a bruise forming on her cheeks and her midsection. 494 knew that his entire chest would be blue-black tomorrow, not to mention his forehead. And yet they carried on.

Taking advantage of his larger size, 494 decided to just use his brute strength. When he detected an opening, he grabbed her, pinning her arms down. Max bent her leg and tried to kick backwards at him, but 494 was prepared. Her legs did not find their target.

494 held her struggling body against his until she stilled. They were both breathing hard. As he calmed, he started to feel her soft curves of her back pressed against his front. Intimately. He knew that he needed to release her soon before he embarrassed himself. Especially as he had not been able to get her out of his mind lately.

He wondered if she had the same problem. As that thought passed through his mind, he smirked and said, "I know you are just impatient for a chance to touch me after what happened in the woods. If you want to be near me, all you have to do is tell me. I'll be happy to accommodate your wishes,"

Incredulous at what she just heard, Max's eyes rounded. _Who the hell does he think he is? And what is he playing at now!_ Gritting her teeth, she retorted, "Just in case my struggles escaped your notice, I actually am trying to get _away _from you. So what do you say you let me loose, huh? Being near you makes me slightly ill. Unless you want me to hurl all over you,"

Chuckling as he shook his head, 494 said mischievously, "Aw, come on. I have sacrificed myself for your heat that day. The least you can do is to thank me for it. Its only polite," He grinned as he felt her stiffen in his arms.

Max did not know if she should feel more embarrassed or get more furious. She settled for her usual sharp retort, "Shut up, smart-ass!" Max decided that the sooner she stopped responding to his remarks, the faster he would be bored of whatever sick game he was playing. Then maybe he would let her go. She forced herself to relax subtly, knowing that with his enhanced perception, he would detect the change.

494 felt the resistance against his arm lessen. Confident that he has won the fight, 494 leaned down closer to whisper in her ears, "Cut your losses. Say you surrender and I'll let you go," He smiled in amusement and anticipation of her retort to that.

She felt goosebumps rise on her skin as his breath caressed her ears. Max could not believe his nerve. _Did he really think I was going to give in so soon? He has another think coming!_ Her thoughts ran furiously in her head. Embarrassed, angry and not to mention disconcerted at being held so close by 494, she hissed, "Bite me!" And promptly smashed the back of her head against his face.

_CRACK!_

As the pain exploded in his face, 494 loosened his arm, releasing her. Biting back a groan, he brought his hands up to his face to find blood trickling freely from his nose and lips. "Shit!" he swore out loud through his split lips. He looked up from his hands to glare disbelievingly at the violent transgenic standing a few feet away from him. He could not believe she just did that. He was no longer amused. His temper rising now, he wiped his bloody hands over his trousers and stalked towards her angrily, intent on revenge.

Max did not wait for him to make the first move; she advanced as well, eyes flashing in challenge. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Gab moving. She pushed down the urge to go to her friend; focusing her attention on the other transgenic instead.

"_WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"_

The two transgenics froze in their tracks at the familiar voice. Both thinking the same thing, _Oh shit!_

They turned slowly to face a very angry Lydecker.

* * *

494 sat down on the cold concrete floor as the door slammed shut. He looked around him, taking in the small box in the basement which was to be his home for the next two days. Grey concrete walls surrounded him.

Resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep.

'Great going, 494. You wanted to release some tension. You got it. In spades,' an annoying voice in his head told him sarcastically.

494 snapped open his eyes. Now he has an imaginary friend in his head. He let out a short bark of laughter, wincing as his head protested. _Damn, 452's hits were no laughing matter,_ he thought grumpily. For someone so small, she sure knew how to pack a punch. And he had obviously pissed her off by fighting with her 547. He winced as he thought of the one particularly painful punch 547 landed in his gut.

He had not intended to goad 547 into a fight, but that transgenic was so prickly when it came to 452. 547 had obviously taken his words about 452 much too personally. 494 realised that he probably interrupted something they had going on when he entered the gym as he did. 494 frowned at the implication of his thoughts. Intimate relationships were forbidden in Manticore. What did 452 and 547 think they were doing?

Ignoring the sudden discomfort produced by the metal image of 452 and 547 together, 494 decided to lie down to catch up on his sleep. He had not felt comfortable enough during his mission to allow himself to sleep soundly. As he yawned, he decided that it was probably the only thing he could do in this cell anyway.

494 was dozing off when sudden clank from the door roused him. Instantly alert, he stood up and walked towards the cell door. He almost jumped back when the hatch on the steel door lifted from outside.

494's eyes narrowed as the opening in the hatch revealed a grinning 452. _How…? She's out already! So soon!_

Interrupting his thoughts, 452 said with a mocking grin, "Not so tough now huh, 494?"

494 walked towards her until they were only separated by the steel bars in the opening. As he got closer, he noticed that bruises were starting to form around her left eyes and her right jaw. He squashed down the feeling of guilt that suddenly appeared. He was suffering from no fewer bruises, so she deserved it. As he looked past her, he saw a bruised 547 leaning against the wall, eyeing him suspiciously through the bars. _No doubt he is standing guard over 452. Well, let's give him something to see_, 494 thought. Forcing a grin onto his face, he drawled softly, "Missed me already, 452? Can't keep away?"

452 snorted, "As if! I am just here to gloat. I am out here…" she pointed to herself, "…and you are still in there," she pointed mockingly at him. He could see her eyes dancing with glee as she said that. A quick glance at 547 revealed a smirk from the other transgenic at 452's retort.

_He's so whipped! _494 thought silently as he rolled his eyes. Out loud, he said, "No doubt you attended the lesson on Breaking and Entering religiously, or should I say 'Breaking and Escaping'?" 494 taunted. He was still wondering how she got out. She couldn't have possibly picked the lock. He did not notice any of those kits on her when they were dragged down to the basement by the guards. The guards had searched them anyway. He wanted to ask her but he doubted that she will let him in on her secret. _She would probably be more than happy to see me rot in here,_ he thought.

"What can I say? I had plenty of practice," 452 said, waving a dismissive hand.

He knew he was going to regret it, but he decided to ask anyway, "So, you want to tell me how you did it? You know, shared the knowledge a bit,"

Not surprisingly, 452 stared at him incredulously. One corner or her mouth lifted before she answered, "You didn't really think I would tell you, did you?" She broke into another grin.

_That's twice now_, 494 thought as he counted the number of times 452 grinned. He decided that he liked this cheerful side of 452 much more than the vicious one. As soon as the idea crossed his mind, he clamped it down with a frown. _No, he did not just associate the word 'like' with 452, did he?_ His frown deepened. _Must have got hit too hard on the head_, he thought.

547 was still propped against the wall, silent all these time. 494 flicked another glance at him. As he caught 547's eyes, he noted the unmasked look of warning in the other transgenic's eyes. Irritated with the look, 494 decide that he would give 547 something to worry about.

"Oh come on 452, what's wrong with a bit of sharing, huh? Anyway, you owe me. Think of it as payment for that kiss you stole off me. And it was my first kiss too. I was saving it up for a special occasion," 494 shook his head slowly in apparent sorrow, clutching his hands over his heart. He grinned inwardly as he saw 547 tense visibly. Maybe he could rile one of them up enough for them to come get him. And to get him, they would have to open the door.

Apart from the slight tensing, 547 showed no other reaction. _Obviously he had been paying attention in class,_ 494 thought. 494 looked at 452, hoping that she would bite the bait.

Unfortunately 452 was sharp enough to not fall for the oldest trick in the book. But she was riled alright. Her grin faded from her face as she snapped at him through the bars, "As sad as it may be for you, it was even sadder for me. Revolting, actually. So do me a favour and don't mention it again. It makes me feel depressed when I think about it!"

"So you _do_ think about it then," 494 could not help saying. He grinned.

That was apparently too much for 452. She frowned as bit out, "You wouldn't like to know my thoughts right now. And I am trying very hard to stop myself from doing I might regret," Giving him the sickly sweet smile that he had come to recognise as a warning that she was about to say or do something he would not like, she slammed down the hatch to the opening.

"Hey! Come back!" 494 hissed at the closed hatch. Silence greeted him.

_I must learn to shut-up sometimes, _494 thought.

* * *

It was a sunny summer day when unit 4 was assigned to the new assault course.

Somewhere the middle of the course, Max was shimmying forward using her arms and knees as fast as she could under a net of barb-wire, trying to avoid catching herself on the wire. Beside her 735 was doing the same. Once they reached the end of the net of wires, Max and 735 bounced up, blurring towards the concrete structure built to resemble a 40 feet high rock formation.

Max bent her knees and leapt, flying up the air. She reached out her hands as she smacked into the rock, gripping the rock for a second to steady herself before continuing to scramble nimbly upwards, intent on getting to the other side. She could hear 735 as her CO moved not far behind her. Max had gained on 735 when she jumped. She reached the top. Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped down, bending her legs to lessen the impact. She hit the ground and rolled forward to a standing position.

In front of her, she could see a long pool with timber planks floating everywhere on its surface except the two ends of the pool. _Entry and exit points, _she thought. She took a deep breath and dived in.

The water was murky. With her enhanced eyesight, she made out the faint ray of light at other the end of the pool_. Shouldn't be too hard_, she thought. She had started swimming towards the other end when she felt something catching her around her legs. Looking down, arms brushing against her legs, she found her legs entangled in series of fibrous strings.

_Damn, knew it was too good to be true! _She swore silently.

Still holding her breath and trying not to move excessively lest she entangled herself further, she carefully extracted herself from the strings. It took a few minutes to unravel the strings. Once free, she propelled herself forward in the water, looking out for more of the strings. She did not want to be caught in it again; she was running out of air. The narrow gaps between the planks were nowhere near big enough for her to surface for air.

She could hear and feel the waves of water pushing against her as more of her unit jumped into the pool behind her. And more waves when they tried to disentangle themselves. She reached the end in just less than 5 minutes. _Almost as challenging as the tank, _she thought. Pushing herself up, she got out of the pool and gasped in lungfuls of air. Once she has satisfied her thirst for air, she sprinted toward the next obstacle. She could hear someone running close behind her. She glanced over her shoulders quickly, not wanting to lose her advantage. It was Gab; his usually easygoing expression was serious in concentration as he focussed on completing the exercise.

They approached the next obstacle.

It was a pit full of glass and nails.

* * *

Lydecker stood in the observation deck, his gaze intent on the many screens in front of him. Unit 4 was undergoing an assault course exercise. He smiled as he thought about the assault course. It has been designed specifically for these genetically enhanced soldiers. A normal military assault course would not be anywhere near challenging enough for his kids.

He observed as 452 and 735 ran towards the rock formation, head to head at the front of the unit. 452 sprang up in an impressive leap, leaving 735 behind.

Smile still on his face, Lydecker turned around to face the visitor beside him. They were the only two in the room. The visitor had specifically requested privacy.

"So?" Lydecker queried, raising his eyebrows in question. The visitor was here because he wanted to see how the transgenics were performing. Or rather, a select few transgenics.

"She has improved since the last time I saw her. Well done," the visitor commented, nodding at Lydecker. He continued watching 452. She just landed gracefully after jumping off the rock formation.

"She would be much better than this if she hadn't miss 3 years of training. Thankfully she's caught up," Lydecker said. This was the third time the visitor came him since 452's capture. The last two times, the visitor has also enquired about 452's progress. Lydecker was beginning to feel curious about the visitor's particular interest in 452.

"How is she apart from the regular training? Have you been keeping an eye on her?" the visitor asked, unaware of Lydecker's thoughts.

Lydecker recalled the incident in the gym a few months ago, "She got into a fight with the CO of another unit a while back. Another member of her unit was there too, but knocked unconscious. They were sent to Punishment,"

The visitor raised his eyebrows in surprise, "She took on a CO?"

Lydecker nodded, "And from the looks of it, she wasn't doing to badly. 494 was pretty beaten up," Now that he thought back, it was quite an amusing sight. The twin looks of horror on the two transgenics face were priceless when they saw him standing there. Of course, he did not find it amusing at all at that time.

Shaking his head, the visitor chuckled, "494, if I recalled correctly is one of the more promising ones. I am surprised she managed to hold her own against him. What explanation did they give you?"

"That they were practicing their sparring techniques," Lydecker snorted. He did not believe it for a moment. He continued, "There were spates of fights going around the facility amongst the X5 males. All of them claimed the same thing. Training for sparring. What surprised me was that she was the only female involved so far,"

The visitor said, "I think it's the age and the teenage hormones. 452 is about fifteen this year and the rest of them are around the same age. I don't think it is anything to worry about. Perhaps it is just restlessness. I think it is time to send her out on missions. This one would be ideal, as she wouldn't be by herself. I want to see how she copes,"

Lydecker was surprised at the visitor's words. He did not think that 452 was ready to be deployed in the field. Yet. "Sir, no disrespect, but she is still considered a flight risk. She may not be in the correct state of mind for away missions yet," Lydecker said, frowning. Tracking 452 down had not been easy. Capturing her was a fluke, he knew. Her capture has appeased the Committee slightly, but he knew that he would face their full wrath if he let her escape again.

"Well, we will not know till we try. She's been back for around 3 years now, correct? If we don't send her out now, when will we do it? Comparing her performance with her peers, she is more than capable of going out on missions. We need to know where she stands. Here, guarded day and night, she will be on her best behaviour, and no one can tell where her loyalty lies. And I am sure you remembered the discussion we had after the 09 escape. We need their trust," the visitor stated cryptically.

Lydecker nodded as he recalled their conversation almost six years ago. Knowing that walls have ears, he decided that this was probably not the best place to discuss it. A look of concern crossed his face as he considered the visitor's demands." Sir, any of the other X5s will do. And there are no such flight risks with the others. We had made sure of that after the '09 incident. So, why her specifically?" He was confused. The visitor's behaviour was strange to say the least when it comes to 452. Lydecker had found out just recently that 452's extended Interrogation period was all due to another of the visitor's demands. Renfro just carried out his orders.

"I am not in the position right now to explain the reasoning behind my request. For security reasons, you understand," The visitor answered with a small smile, getting up. He laid his hand on one of Lydecker's shoulders to soften his words. He continued, "I trust that you and our intelligent scientists and lab techs would be able to come up with something for the flight risk problem,"

"I have to go now. Let me know of her progress, and also those other ones," the visitor said, keeping his eyes on Max as she crossed the line on the screen in front of them.

Lydecker nodded, "Yes, sir,"

* * *

_Oh hell, _Max thought. She and Gab looked around the pit, looking for a way to get across. She spotted the ropes hanging off the trees over the pit. _Aha! Just what we needed!_ Max backed up and sprinted towards the pit. Understanding her intent as usual, Gab followed close behind. She leapt towards a dangling rope and grabbed it, her momentum swinging her back and forth. She angled her body, forcing the rope to swing her to the other end of the pit. Once she reached the required angle, she released the rope and flew through the air. She landed just at the edge of the pit. Gab landed a couple of seconds after her. She looked back at the pit to see their CO and 2IC not far behind them.

Grinning at each other, they blurred forward towards the line that signalled the end of the course.

And were stopped in their tracks.

Six X6s came out of nowhere to stand between them and the line, in a fighting stance, staring at Max and Gab.

Max and Gab exchanged a look. Max signalled for him to move to her left to take on the three X6s, leaving her to take care of the other three. Max ran towards them, ducking their blows. She slammed her knees into their chest hard enough to wind them, but not seriously hurt them. One by one, Max and Gab took the X6s down. By this time, some of their unit has arrived to be met with their own X6 welcome party.

Not looking back, Max blurred to the finish line, Gab very close behind her.

As they passed the line, Hales pressed the digital reader. He read aloud, knowing that the monitors in the observation deck would record the results accordingly.

"452, 15 minutes 27 seconds,"

"547, 15 minutes 31 seconds,"

* * *

The following morning, Lydecker walked out into the balmy air of the training grounds where only the X5s were standing at attention. The rest of the X-series had been allocated their assignments for the day.

"At ease, soldier" Lydecker rapped out, casting his eyes over the rows of teenage soldiers in front of him.

"All of you have been through the assault course yesterday. As you know, we recorded your performance, for evaluation. The fastest record was 15 minutes 27 seconds, shared by X5-494, X5-511 and X5-452. What you don't know was that this evaluation was being carried out as a selection process for a mission," he paused, "Previously, your missions had been carried out with your own unit, your closeness enabling you to work well together. However, after viewing the result of your performance yesterday, we have decided that it would be more beneficial to the mission to change this - for this particular mission,"

Although most of the X5s remained silent as expected, some started glancing surreptitiously to the side. They were not too comfortable with the idea of losing the security and comfort provided by their own units.

Lydecker noticed their eyes.

"Eyes front!" he snapped. Satisfied that he now had their full attention, he continued, "You are soldiers. You are expected to work in any condition, however unfamiliar. And that includes working as a team with other soldiers – whether or not they are in your unit. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" the X5s shouted in unison.

"Good. Now, as I call out your designation, fall out and proceed to the Briefing Room 2 with Sergeant Hales. The rest of you will continue with your assigned tasks as briefed by Sergeant Rhys," Lydecker looked down at the list in his hand, "735, 547, 511…"

* * *

Max heard her CO's and Gab's designation being called. No surprise over there. They were part of the unofficial elite in Manticore. The Alpha ones.

"…501, 494…"

She looked up momentarily as 494's designation was called out. _I suppose he is good too. He is a CO after all,_ she thought grudgingly. She suddenly wondered, _Hmm, isn't it a bad idea to send two CO's out at the same time? On the other hand, if one is down, the other can take over._

"…480, 422…" Max's eyes lit up momentarily at Val's designation, pleased for her friend. She knew Val had wanted to go on another mission.

Max was getting bored. She itched to tap her foot. She wanted to get out of this line up, out of the baking hot sun. She could almost feel her dark hair sizzle as it absorbed the heat from the sun. She forced herself not to fidget. She squinted as the gun glared into her eyes.

"…and 452,"

Max's eyes snapped wide open, suddenly alert.

**t.b.c.**

* * *

A/N: Tell me what you think! And oh, just out of curiosity, I would like to do a poll. Mel11's review got me wondering! Please vote your favourite three characters in order of preference (grins!). Looking forward to your reviews. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Results of the poll are out! Winner is Max with 34pts followed closely by Alec/494 with 29pts. Gab got 16pts, Matt with 4pts and Kelpy with 3 pts! Hehe! Thanks for participating! Now I have to find a way to torture your favourite characters (laughs wickedly!)….okay, okay…hold off the machete…I was just kidding! Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Oops! Sorry! Didn't mean to upset you about 494. Lydecker just assumed, I guess! Lol! And I needed to find a way to get Max into the mission ;P. Thanks for reviewing!

**A reader (anon)** – Thanks for your review, whoever you are!

**Mel11** – Thanks for reviewing. Arguments are definitely happening in this mission, so watch out! (Grins)

**Kungfuchick** – OMG! How fast do you think I can write! That chapter was 5000words! Hehe! Glad you loved the last chapter, and I hope you like this one too! Thanks for reviewing.

**Pookie vampires** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the interaction between Max and 494. Logan and familiars? They are further down in the pipeline! I should shut-up now before I give everything away ;p

**Kelzaa** - I guess its not too hard to guess who the visitor is! Glad you noticed the gradual change in 494…I tried to do it subtly! Thanks for reviewing!

**HoneyX5-452** – No! (sobs) Don't stop reading! At least wait until I finish this story! And you are one of my first reviewers too!

**Angelofdarkness78** – Thanks for your review. I meant any characters. Hope you find the mission interesting. I think it's a bit long, but tell me what you think, 'kay!

**Gamegirl452** – Thanks for reviewing. Full details of the mission coming up! Lots of things happening (I hope!)

**NoAngell** – (Grins) I just couldn't help myself; I had to put Max in the fight, just to pit them against each other again! Thanks for reviewing!

**Eva (anon)** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the chapter. Let me know what you think of the mission!

**Amelya **– I know what you mean about DA stories. I love them! This one is kind of a challenge to write because I needed to develop many different characters. So I am really happy that you liked it! Thanks for reviewing.

**W1cked angel** – Thanks for reviewing. More coming up!

**Lotamoxie** – Hey! Nice to see you here! I know…I know…I really need to catch up on my NWP posting, lol! But I am getting there! Oh, and thanks reviewing at NWP and here as well!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Hehe! I will do it VERY subtly and then… (dramatic pause…)…Ahem, I quickly run away and hide from you! (Grins) Nah, won't kill them…might just hurt them a wee bit! Thanks for your threats...oops, review ;P

**Cora (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. And you know I always do my best to update as soon as it is physically possible (grins)

**Pixie-ray (anon)** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the story! Keep on reading (winks!)

**Moving swiftly on to….**

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 10 - Mobilisation**

"…and 452," Lydecker finished, looking up from his list.

Instantly alert, Max's eyes snapped wide open as she jerked involuntarily at the unexpected sound of her designation.

_WHAT? ME? The sun must have fried Lydecker's brain instead of mine. How did this happen?_ Max's thoughts wandered wildly in shock. How did she end up in the selection? Although she was good in the assault course, that did not mean that she was not a flight risk. She did not want to go out on missions, which most likely will involve assassination, and was banking on the flight risk factor to keep herself off the selection list.

Obviously it did not work.

Knowing that there was no way she could get out of it, she sighed inwardly, resigned to her fate. Ah well, at least her CO, Gab and Val will be around. Then it dawned on her who else was in the team.

Max swore inwardly. _That jerk 494. Great. Just great! I'll throttle him if he mention yet another word about my heat_.

Max fell out of line together with 735, Gab and Val. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see 494 leading three others from his unit; 480, 501 and 511. They were headed in the same direction as her unit; towards the briefing room. They silently filed behind Hales into the briefing room, standing at attention.

Lydecker entered the room and closed the door. He walked to the table and sat down on a chair behind the table, dropping the bulky folders from his arms onto the table.

"At ease soldiers" he studied them, silently trying to assess their mood as the eight transgenics relaxed slightly. _No emotion at all_, he thought. No surprise there.

"Well, as you know, eight of you have been selected for this mission; half from unit 4 and the other half, unit 6. You have been selected based on your individual skills in the last few weeks of training and your performance in the assault course. And this mission would require the skills of two combined unit. You may have noticed that your 2ICs are not included in this mission, although they qualified for the selection. In the absence of 494 and 735, your 2ICs will be in charge of the rest of your unit in the facility,"

"As for the mission; Last week, two of our scientists were captured by an unknown hostile organisation. We are not sure, but we think they may be the South African Reds. We know nothing about this organisation. There was some Intel which led us to believe that these two scientists were being held in a hidden location within a nature reserve. We cannot pin-point the exact location of the stronghold,"

"Your mission would be to rescue these two scientists and gather any Intel you can about this organisation. You are authorised to terminate any obstacles. We will drop you off at the edge of the forest and you would have to make your way in by yourselves. 494 and 735 would share the role of CO. You must work together. Your cover would be as a group of friends on a camping trip in the nature reserve. You would need to do some recon to find the stronghold. Any questions?" Lydecker asked the transgenics. They were all giving him the same attentive expressionless look. A slight movement from 494 caught his attention.

"Sir, what if 735 and I cannot come to an agreement?" 494 asked. 494 was not sure what he felt at the fact that he had to share the command post. He was used to making the decisions all by himself. But he supposed that having another person to share the responsibility would not be too bad an idea. If they did not end up killing each other. He resisted the urge to look at 452's CO.

"You have to work to come to an agreement, and that's non-negotiable. We expect you to be professional enough to work together as a team. However, as there is more than one task, you could split into two groups. That should reduce the problem. Though you may find that your skill-sets require you to split your units up anyway. I have 2 sets of the mission brief here," Lydecker said. He picked up the folders and handed them to 494 and 735.

Taking the folder, 735 asked, "Sir, permission to speak, Sir!" She too felt slightly apprehensive about sharing command. She did not have much contact with 494, apart from 452's heat incident. Aware of the antagonism between 494 and 452, she hoped that the two transgenics would bury the hatchet long enough to complete the mission. Being the strategist, she has already started to form assault tactics in her head.

At her question, Lydecker nodded and said, "Go ahead, 735"

"What equipments are available to us?" she queried, wondering what they could bring. From the sounds of it, this seemed to be one of the rare missions where Manticore allowed them to figure out the strategies themselves. 735 was planning to take advantage of that fact.

"List down anything you require on this form and hand it to Sergeant Hales. He will get them for you. Report to Med Bay at 1500 for your comms implant. Then pick up your mission gear from Supply & Storage at 1600. I will leave you now to come up with the mission plans. You will be deployed at 0800 hours tomorrow. Remember, failure is not an option, understand?" Lydecker said, ready to leave the room.

"Sir, yes, sir!" the eight soldiers snapped out in unison. Out of the corner of their eyes, they watched as Lydecker and Hales left then room.

* * *

An almost imperceptible sigh of relief washed across the room when the door slammed shut behind Lydecker and Hales. The soldiers shared a look of understanding. They shuffled into the chairs around the table; unit 4 on one side and unit 6 on the other.

"So…" 735 said, eager to get started, "Shall we just read this first, then discuss?" She opened her folder.

494 nodded; his unit gathered around him. He glanced to his side to see Unit 4 reading the brief intently. He noticed 452's head bend down close to a muscular, dark haired X5 he knew as 547 from their last fight.

494 could not believe 452 got included in this mission. Surely she would be a liability. And a distraction. Unbidden, a sudden flash of memory assaulted him; her lips moving softly on his. _Get a grip, soldier! _Shaking his head clear, he frowned, forcing his attention back to the folder.

A few minutes of silence ensued. Then the two units moved closer together, ready to plan their mission.

494 caught Max's eyes as she looked up from the brief. She glared at him, turning away to talk to 735. He frowned as he wondered how were they meant to work together if she could not even be civil to him. Next to her, he noticed 547 giving him a look. 494 resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He turned his attention back to the mission instead.

"Perhaps we should list down each of our skills, probably will make it easier to allocate tasks," Max suggested.

735 nodded and motioned to the guy she remembered from the night in the jungle, "Go ahead, 494. Your unit first,"

"Apart from being the CO, I specialise in stealth tactics, reconnaissance, evacuation, rescue and… retrieval operations," 494 said, grinning at Max as he said that. Max shot a death glare at him. He replied with a smirk that he knew would piss her off even more. He turned back to the rest of then room as 511 began to speak.

"511. I am the weapons and explosives expert," 511 said. Then continuing after a short pause, he said cheekily, "Not too bad at field med either, especially if the patient is female,"

The rest of the transgenics laughed.

"501. Front lines, weapons, explosives, invasion and assault specialist," A tall olive skinned girl with chin length brown hair said.

"480. Defence, communications and field med," Max recognised him as the other transgenic who was with 494 the fateful day she got dragged back to Manticore.

"Right, I am 735, CO of unit 4. I specialise in general mission tactics and strategies – stealth, evacuations, attacks, you name it," she said with a grin.

"I am 422. My speciality is comms, espionage and telecoercion," Val noted the uneasy glances directed at her by unit 6. She shrugged and grinned, "Don't worry. I will try to not use it on you all!"

A ripple of uncomfortable laughter was heard from Unit 6. Val's grin grew wider.

"547. Front-lines, weapons, explosives, mines and demolition" Gab said.

"452. Stealth, recon and close proximity assaults…" Max paused. She scrunched up her brow as she tried to think of what else she could do.

Before she could continue, 494 interrupted with a smirk, "Hey, you missed Escape and Evade, 452!"

"Shut up!" Max snapped at 494. _Jerk! What is his problem? As if no one else knows! No one is ever going to forget if he keeps reminding them._

Then realising that it would probably irritate 494, she said with a cheeky grin, "Actually, he is probably right. I excelled in that exercise for a good part of three years!"

They laughed together with her. All except 494, who had a small frown on his head, not liking the way she turned that back on him.

494 said sulkily, "Didn't find that funny at all," Changing the topic, he barked, "Well, are we going to plan or not?"

And once again they were all professional soldiers, their laughter cut short. Max gave 494 a last smirk.

For now.

* * *

Although the forest was dense with foliage, it did not pose a problem for the teenagers. There were eight of them ranging from 15 years to 16 years old, each carrying a backpack full of gear and food. They walked in pairs, headed towards a clearing where they had planned to set up camp. This would be their base. It was far enough from civilisation to avoid detection but close enough to the highway for them to evacuate easily if necessary.

They set up their tents, one tent between 2 transgenics. That night, they sat down to reaffirm their tasks. 735, being the strategist, already had a plan of action which she shared with team on the trip down.

"We have two comms experts, one has to man the base, one to go in with the Intel team," 735 had said.

"I'll stay at base. 422 would be more useful for the Intel team - she has the psy-ops skills," 480 offered, and Val nodded in agreement. Val felt slightly unnerved by 480. He looked exactly like Matt that on more than one occasion, she had almost called him by that name.

"One of you weapons lot need to stay with 480 as back-up. Any volunteers?" 494 asked, looking around at the transgenics.

"I could stay," 501 said.

"Good. Then the rest of us could form the Intel team and the Rescue team. I will head up the Intel team and 494 will command the Rescue team. 422 is with me, and I need another one," 735 looked around for a suitable soldier.

"I think you could do with a weapons expert. I'll go with you," 511 said to 735, then turned to look questioningly at his CO, "If that's alright with you?"

494 nodded, "Of course. So I guess that leaves me with 547 and 452?" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he caught another murderous glare directed towards him from 452, and a warning look from 547. _This is going to be so much fun_, he thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

* * *

As darkness approached, the transgenics started setting up for night reconnaissance. They had split up in pairs to achieve a larger area sweep.

735 asked Max to pair up with her. They were both dressed in forest green camouflage to blend in with their surrounding. Their transgenic eyesight was sufficient without additional night goggles. Apart from a small rucksack with some emergency kit and some firearms, they did not need anything else.

Max was not keen on using the shotgun. However, as it was a standard deployment kit for these sorts of missions, she did not have much of a choice.

"480, is Base Control set up? 452, you activated your comms?" 735 asked. She firmly tapped the embedded device behind her ears four times. Four taps to activate, and six taps to deactivate. It also served as a tracer.

"I am doing it now," Max started tapping at her comms. "Can you hear me, 735? Base, you there?" Max asked loudly, rubbing the uncomfortable spot behind her ear where the device was implanted. She was not used to this at all.

"Loud and clear, 452…No need to shout. And stop scratching. We can hear that too!" 480's voice came through, amused.

Max chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry! Can't help it. I needed to scratch. It really itches. How do you guys stand it?" she said. Although 480 played a huge role in her capture, Max did not bear him any grudges. She found that she quite like 481's twin, he was quite fun underneath all the Manticore façade.

"Hey, 452, you need any help scratching your itch? I could help!" Gab offered with a leer. Max could hear him clearly although he was quite away. She would even see him waggling his eyebrows from that distance, mischievous grin on his face. She rolled her eyes and ignored her friend.

"Count me in too. The more the merrier! Anyone else want to join in the group action?" 511 piped in, sniggering. Max couldn't see him, but she guessed he must be still within the range of the receiver. She had found that she enjoyed talking to the larger-than-life, good looking, dark haired transgenic. During the trip down, he had sat with her and Gab. Their banter almost drove the rest of the transgenics mad. 494 had finally told them to shut-up. _Spoil-sport_.

Grinning, Max retorted, "511, exactly what is on your mind? Care to enlighten me? We wouldn't want you to do anything you may regret,"

"Sweetheart, I am up for anything. All you have to do is ask. Nicely," 511 said jokingly in a deep voice.

Max laughed at the tone of his voice. _No doubt he was trying to sound sexy,_ she thought in amusement.

"Can you deactivate the comms for this kind of talk? We don't really need to hear you flirt! And just as a reminder, we are on a mission here," 494 grumbled irritably.

"Sorry, sir!" 511 said, not sounding apologetic at all.

494 could hear muffled laughter coming from his comms. He was not sure why he felt irritated, but he did. Normally he would have joined in the banter, but he felt really on edge in this mission. _Must be 452's presence,_ he thought. Then he frowned. He cannot afford to be distracted.

"Come on. Time to move out. 501, you're with me," 494 said, slinging his rifle across his back and next to his rucksack. He proceeded to head away from the clearing, 501 close behind him.

* * *

735 and Max was moving silently through the forest, their keen eyes observing the area around them in search of signs of anything out of place. The forest floor was dense with foliage, making it hard for them to see what they were stepping on. However, their enhanced eye-sight gave them a good chance of spotting any hidden traps.

Suddenly 735 stopped, signalling Max to do the same. They both crouched low, hidden in the thick bush, holding their breath. To their right, they could hear leaves rustling, but there was no breeze in the still air.

A few seconds later, two camouflage-clad men with ancient AK-47s passed ten metres away from their hideout. Judging from their behaviour, they appeared to be on patrol duty. They stopped, checked out their surroundings, and moved on.

"We must be approaching the stronghold," Max said under her breath to her CO.

735 nodded, and said "Alpha-2 to Base. We detected some activity in our vicinity. Possible sightings of enemy patrols. We are at coordinates 35N 90E from base approximately. Base can you locate our position from your tracker? All other units report? Over"

"Alpha-1 to Alpha-2. Nothing here, over," Max heard 494's voice over her comms.

"Beta-1 to Alpha-2. Nothing, just a few friendly deers, over," Gab said. He sounded bored.

"Base to Alpha-2. Your local coordinates are 37N 88E. Do you need assistance, over?" 480 enquired.

"Alpha-2 to all teams. Can we have another team here, over?" 735 requested. She decided that it would be safer for them to have some back-up. Just in case something unexpected cropped up.

"Alpha-1 to Alpha-2. We will be with you in 24minutes. Alpha-1 to Beta-1. Continue canvassing the remaining area, over" 494 instructed over the comms.

"Beta-1 to Alpha-1. Affirmative. Out," Gab replied.

"Alpha-2 to Base, we will be in radio silence till Alpha-1 gets here. Over and out," 735 finished.

735 looked at Max and said, "Guess we just wait here till they arrive," She tapped her implant six times.

"I think perhaps it's safer if we got off the ground. What do you think of the trees?" Max suggested, looking up. Following 735's example, she tapped her implant.

735 grinned and shrugged, "Why not!"

They pulled themselves up the nearest tree, settling on a branch. From their perch, they could see quite a distance when not obscured by the leaves. They sat there in silence.

Max noticed the faraway look in 735's eyes. She nudged her CO, asking, "What are you thinking?"

"It's odd if you think about it sometimes. They made us all in pairs, twins. Then they keep us apart. Neither of us know of each other. Then one of us escaped, and the other one punished… I am curious. Tell me, 452. What was 734 like?" 735 suddenly asked softly, as she pushed her black hair behind her ear.

Max gaped for a moment at the unexpected subject. _735 asking about Brin?_

"Um… You want to talk about Brin?" she paused, unsure. They were keeping their voice low, just within the transgenic hearing range.

"Brin was her name? Must be nice for you all to be so close, you can freely call each other names," 735 said with an almost wistful look on her face.

"Zack, our CO, named us. We treat each other as siblings, looking out for each other whenever we can. Well, without alerting Manticore. Brin was tough. I remember, when we were on the exercises, she never gives in no matter how tired or how hurt she was. She pushes herself very hard. She loves the rifle range. Like you, she also excelled in strategies and tactics – must be the genes, huh! I remember when we used to sit around bored and Brin would come up with the wackiest things to do. She would plan some elaborate game and we will all just follow her. She helped plan our escape with Zack. I have not seen Brin since the escape. But I think you would like her,"

735 sighed, "From the start, Manticore never encouraged that sort of relationship. After your escape, it got even worse. Any sign of affection between us will mean immediate dispatch to psy-ops. I think they figured that if we were not close like unit 2, we would not be tempted to escape. Before you escaped, a few of us actually had nicknames amongst ourselves. But not like yours. Ours were made up from our designations. I was called Fye, for 7-3-_five _and 593 was called Treve. Oh, and we used to call 332 Cass; it was one of her cover names. I know some of the others also kept their cover's name," she grinned as she took in the surprised look on Max's face, "What? You think I didn't notice?"

Max smiled, thinking of Matt, Val and few of the others they had secretly named. Behind their backs, of course. 564 was Speed for the way he runs off after some misbehaviour, 312 was named Sandy when she came into the dorm one day trailing sand all the way behind her after an exercise and 612 was Zip after an unfortunate accident. To Fye she said, "Uh... We were not too sure what your take would be on it. We didn't want to let Manticore know. But as we are older now, I am sure we could keep this from them," she reached out her hand to 735, "I am Max, by the way,"

Fye laughed, clasping Max's hand in friendship, "I know. Been wondering when you were going to let me in,"

Max smiled sheepishly and said, "Sorry! It's not you, just the fear of Manticore. And you _ARE_ our staid CO,"

"Staid!" Fye exclaimed in an incredulous tone. She aimed a friendly punch at Max. Max ducked with a giggle.

Then they smiled at each other and continued to wait in silence for a few minutes before Fye spoke again..

"You know, Max. I saw your unit out of the window that night you ran. Sometimes, I wonder why the rest of us did not do the same that night," she said, her lips lifting at the corners.

Max started at her CO, surprise evident on her face, "It's not that great out there, you know. Well, apart from no morning drills. And don't let anyone hear you say that. Or else you'll be in psy-ops for months!" she said, looking at her CO in concern. _Fye couldn't possibly be contemplating escape_,_ could she?_

"I know… Been there. Not the most pleasant part of my formative years. I think that's when I felt that I had enough. I mean, we were good soldiers. We obediently followed orders and I actually believed all the discipline, teamwork and duty shit they brainwashed into us. Went on missions. Did all the exercises and manoeuvres. We gave them no reason to punish us. But they did anyway. Why? To prevent us from running? All they succeeded in doing was to turn us against them. There were 15 of us in our unit previously. Now, including you, there are 11. _A third_ of unit 4 didn't make it. One died of seizure, one was KIA and _three_ didn't make it out of the psy-ops evaluation after the escape. _Three!_ They were brain dead by the time psy-ops finished with them. It was not fair. Three of them were the youngest our unit, just children. And what sort of CO am I? I couldn't even help them," Fye took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Max could see the anger and helplessness in her eyes. She felt her heart constrict.

Max reached out, circling her arm around her CO, "Fye, listen. We all grew up here. You know Manticore. You also know that there was nothing you could have done to help them. If you tried to stop Manticore, all you would succeed in doing was to put yourself in punishment. So don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. Blame it on us, if you want. We were the ones who ran. We didn't stop to think of what they would do to the rest of you. For that, I am sorry,"

"Thanks Max. Don't blame you for running. We would have probably done something too if we had the guts to do it. Thanks for listening, I probably just need to get it off my chest," Fye smiled at her. She looked down at her watch. 21 minutes had passed. She tapped her implant.

"Alpha-2 to Alpha-1. State your position. Over," Fye said, all her emotions now buried back deep within.

"Alpha-1 to Alpha-2. We are almost there. Where are you? Over," 494 asked in a low voice.

"Alpha-1, we are up in a tree. Getting off now. Over,"

Fye and Max glanced around, and proceeded to drop down from the branch they were sitting on. As they landed, they saw 494 and 501. They nodded to the new arrivals.

"So, any more sightings?" 494 asked Fye, not glancing at Max. He had realised that she had this knack of distracting him, and distraction was the last thing he needed while on a mission. He blamed the heat incident for it. He decided that the best course of action was probably to ignore her completely.

"No. They are probably patrolling in rotation. They are not back yet," Fye answered.

"How many?"

"Two, so far. Military. Armed," Max said. 494's eyes flickered but remained on Fye. Max's lips compressed tightly as she frowned, _What's with him now? Ignoring me?_

"I think we should wait till they turn back, and then track them back to wherever their base is," 494 suggested to Fye.

"Sounds good to me," Fye said.

* * *

An hour or so later…

"We have visual of the sentries," 501's voice came through the comms.

"Move, Alpha-2. Alpha-1 to Base. Base, you tracking this?" 494 said.

"Affirmative," came the reply from Val. It was decided that Val should remain at base for the Recon while 501 gets a feel of the area before joining 480 later when it comes to the actual Rescue mission.

Fye, Max, 494 and 501 proceeded to follow the two sentries.

After about another hour, they finally approached an area with a scattering of buildings. They paused and 735 signalled them to spread out to avoid detection, and to cover more ground.

Max made her way towards the south. She moved about until she found a spot which gave her a good view to the building. _This must be the stronghold, _Max thought. She was hunched low behind a tree, looking at the building and the guards surrounding it. From her vantage point, she observed the number of guards and their schedule.

"Alpha-1 and 2 report," 494's voice came over the comms.

"Four guards at the south entrance. Entrance well lit with floodlights. Looks like rotation of 2 guards every half hour," Max said in a low voice, knowing that the rest could hear her.

"Three on the west side, no ground entrance. Same rotation. Only rooftop access. Window on the south-west face of the building appears to be barred. Possible holding site" 501 reported.

"Three here as well. There's a garage which is a possible entry point from the north. Yours, 735?" 494 queried.

Silence.

"735, you read me?" 494 asked again. His lips pursed as he frowned. _The mission can't possibly go wrong this soon_, he thought, as a feeling of apprehension began to grow.

Still nothing from 735. Worried, Max felt her heart rate increase.

* * *

**t.b.c.** (This ending sounds familiar? Hehe!)

A/N: Okay, I thought it was time to put up pictures of the cast. Mine's not as comprehensive as some of yours out there, but click on the link to my homepage if you want to put a face to the designations. Also, my other story – Remember – has one more chapter to go before it is completed, so if you have some spare time, you could check it out!

A/N: As usual, please review and tell me what you think of this chapter. I love reading your reviews.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Wow! 18 reviews for the last chapter! And I finally hit more than 100 reviews – Yay! (jumps up and down in glee) Thank you so much for taking the time to review. I loved reading them.

**452/494 forever (anon)** – Thanks so much for your praise! I hope you'll like this chapter:)

**Mel11** – Thanks for your review. You have to read on to see what happened to Fye! Hehe!

**Kungfuchick** – You know what I usually do to the characters (grins!). And MA romantic stuff will come, I can't tell you when! But it WILL come. Lol! I promise it won't be like Remember! And thanks for reviewing both this story and Remember.

**Cora** – Thanks for your review. Nah, the cliffhanger is not _that_ evil! It gives you something to look forward to, hehe!

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Somehow your promise to feed him, bathe him and sleep with him sounds more like a threat (Grins)! I find Gab quite cute too! 494 too, needless to say! Thanks for reviewing.

**HoneyX5-452** – Thanks for your review. Biggs/511 is quite a flirt, so watch out for more jealousy!

**Angelofdarkness78** – Ah! I have PLANS for Fye! Hehe! I think Alec/494 is the poster boy for denial right now. I am glad you liked the long chapters and don't find them boring (grins). Thanks for reviewing this and for Remember too. I agree with you, it would be great if they jumped each other but it was not appropriate for the story.

**Toniboo** – Thanks for reviewing! I promise I won't be too cruel to Fye. Read on and tell me what you think.

**Pola** **(anon)** – Thanks for your review. I am glad that you like it. There more to come and I hope it's to your liking too.

**Gamegirl452** – It's not that bad a cliffhanger! Hehe! Thanks for saying what you did about the mission specs. I was a bit worried that it was too detailed, but your review made me feel better. Thanks for your review on Remember too. The sequel would come probably after I complete Deception. Can't do more than 2 projects at one time at the rate I write (grins!).

**W1cked angel** – (Grins) Are you trying to tell me something here? (growls!)Like the story is kiddish! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing this and Remember. Even if you actually damned me for not putting any MA action in there! Lol!

**Eva (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Aw come on, it's not a bad cliffhanger, trust me! By the time you read this, there's probably like another few chapters written, so the cliffhangers don't work on you anymore. Darn!

**NoAngell **– Glad you liked the flirtations (winks). Now that they are all growing up, there should be more. 494 will morph into Alec around Chapter 14 or 15, so not too long more. Thank you for reviewing this and Remember. There will be a sequel, but in the meantime, there's another one called Deception.

**Iridescent Twilight** – Hehe! I am so glad I am on the other side of the screen from you, you scary person! Lol! I AM going to do something to Fye (cackles evilly) at some point. And again, thanks for your threats…ahem…kind words…

**Lady marauder (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. What ending was supposed to be like the show? (confused now!)

**Lulu (anon) –** Thanks for reviewing. Update is here – read on! And thanks for reviewing Remember too!

**Kelzaa** – Hehe! I thought it added to the anticipation factor. Thank you for reviewing this and for Remember! I am going to write a sequel but not just yet – need to concentrate on Deception first!

**Alana84** – I got something in the pipeline for the sparks to fly between them two. It is _slowly _getting there (grins sheepishly). Sorry! Give it 3 to 4 more chapters. But it WILL happen, not like Remember. And thanks for reviewing Remember as well as this one.

**Okay, now for the story….**

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 11 - Mission**

"Fye!" Max whispered. _Where is she?_ Max tried to think of the direction her CO headed to earlier. _We covered south, west and north, so she must be somewhere on the east side of the building_, she thought.

"Alpha-1 to Base. Can you locate the position of 735?" 494 rapped out, his eyes scanning the area in hope that 735 may miraculously turn up near him.

"Affirmative, 494. We located 735's tracer at the east quadrant. No movement. Her tracer is stationary," Val replied. Max detected the worry in her friend's voice.

Now that she knew where Fye was, Max decided that she should go search for her. However, she knew that she could not just go without telling someone. In the absence of Fye, she guessed that she would have to report to 494. She rolled her eyes and began to speak, "494, I am going to search the east quadrant for 735…" Max started to move to her right, keeping to the shadows.

Forced to finally acknowledge her presence this time, 494 said into the comms, "452, hold your position. There may be hostile forces in the area. 735 may have been compromised," he asserted, stopping Max in her tracks.

"494, I'll look out for them. Now that we know where she is, it will be relatively quick. Anyway, it may be that there's just something wrong with her comms," Max explained impatiently. She really wanted to get going instead of waiting around for Fye to show up.

"Fine, I'll come with you. You need someone to watch your back. 501, shadow us," 494 started moving towards Max's position.

Max waited till she saw 494, then immediately turned to go.

494 smirked as he noticed her impatience, "Wait up, 452! What's your hurry?" he drawled, eager to rile her now that they were on bickering terms again. _Might as well make the most of it. I am going to be distracted anyway,_ he thought. Although she was not moving an inch when she was waiting for him, he could have sworn that in her mind, she was tapping her foot impatiently.

Max glared at him disbelievingly, "My CO is out there without any means of communication. What do you mean, what's my hurry! Anyway, you don't have to be here if it's such an inconvenience. I could cope by myself,"

"And here I am thinking you would appreciate my company. Can't let you go by yourself anyway. You may decide to run off," 494 prodded further into the fire on purpose. From past experiences, he knew that what he just said would definitely get a rise out of her. He stifled a grin.

"Shut up and move! We don't have time for this," Max hissed, irritated beyond belief. She trudged off, not caring if 494 was behind her or not. _The guy is unbelievable! What is his problem? First he ignores me then now he couldn't keep his mouth shut! _Max fumed.

A smirking 494 caught up with her after a few moments and they moved quietly towards Fye's last known position. Max looked around and sighed in relief when she spotted Fye. Carefully, so to not surprise Fye, she moved towards her CO.

"735," she whispered.

Fye whipped her head around to face Max. Max could see the question in her almond-shaped eyes before she spoke.

"Why are you here? What's wrong?" she asked.

"We have been trying to get hold of you. We already got the info we need. You did not hear us on the comms?" Max asked.

"What? No. I did think it was strange that it was so silent. Must be dead," Fye said, tapping the implant behind her ears. "It's still here, though. Maybe we would fix it later,"

"Well, you got anything?" 494 asked, walking closer. He was relieved that it was nothing more than a malfunctioning comms.

"Yeah, 3 guards to the left and another 3 to the right of the main entrance. There are not less than four guards at any one time there. Sentry at the gate too. All armed. I don't think it's a good entry point," 735 reported. She looked up to the sky and noted that it was close to dawn, "I think we better head back to base. It would be awfully awkward if someone spotted teenagers walking about before dawn in fatigues. Let's go,"

* * *

Max and Gab stayed up on guard duty for the rest of the morning while the rest caught up on their sleep. Fye had tried to get her comms fixed without much success. 480 and Gab helped but it just refused to operate. They simply did not have the equipment to do it out here.

As midday approached, Max felt a tap on her shoulders. She turned around to see 480 standing over her with a smile. She smiled back.

"Go get some sleep. I'll take over now," 480 said to her. "Can you get 494 on your way to come rotate with 547?"

Max nodded and pushed herself off the ground. She headed towards 511 and 494's tent and lifted the door flap to take a peep.

494 was sleeping deeply, his face looking angelically young and innocent in sleep. Max wanted to snort. _Yeah, right. Innocent he is not. Looks can definitely be deceiving, especially when Manticore had a hand in it, _she thought. A vision of him lowering his head to capture her lips invaded her mind. She flushed. And instantly forced that memory deep into the recesses of her mind. She did not need that sort of distraction right now. _Or ever,_ she thought darkly. _Especially when it involved a certain transgenic._

She decided to wake 494 up from the mouth of the tent, not wanting to risk an attack from his automated reflexes. She nudged his foot.

"494. Wake up," she hissed softly, trying not to disturb 511.

494 and 511 instantly shot up into a sitting position, their eyes alert_. So much for trying not to wake 511 up_, she thought wryly.

"Sentry duty, 494. Sorry 511, didn't mean to wake you up," she apologized with a smile to the dark haired transgenic beside 494.

511 gave her a seductive grin, "Hey, sweetheart, you can wake me up any time. Come to think of it, since you just got off duty, you want to join me here? I could do with the company of a beautiful girl. You gotta be better than 494 here. And you must be cold. Here, jump in and I could help warm you up as well!" 511 offered. He reached out and yanked her down on to him.

As she stumbled onto 511's lap, Max laughed, "In your dreams!" She wriggled in his lap, trying to escape the arms around her.

511 was feeling _way _too much as Max moved on his lap, "Hmm…Much as I like all these moves you are making, I think I would prefer it if you do it when we have some privacy," he directed a pointed glance at 494. Max stilled, a blush creeping up her face as she realised what he meant.

494 gave 511 and Max a look of disgust, "Man, come off it! It's too early for this kind of talk even for you," 494 grumbled, pushing himself up, stretching.

Max found her eyes drawn to 494's taut exposed abdomen while he stretched, noticing the flex of his muscles. She swallowed and quickly looked away_. Max! What do you think you are doing?_ She admonished herself, now looking everywhere but at _him._

Unfortunately for Max, 494 had caught the direction of her gaze before she snapped her eyes away. "Liked what you see, 452? Do I pass inspection?" he grinned. His hazel eyes were laughing.

_Oh, no!_ She groaned inwardly as she realised that he caught her staring at him. Brushing aside her embarrassment, she stared straight at him, "Don't be such as smart-ass. And anyway, it's nothing spectacular, I have to say. Seen better," she drawled, raising an eyebrow. She felt the overwhelming urge to run, to get away from this 494 who was behaving strangely.

"Really? I think that is highly unlikely. I do represent the finer specimens of our gender, you know. The proof is in the hordes of female admirers I seem to attract. Try me, if you don't believe me," he said, grin still on his face. He really enjoyed seeing that irritated look that she gets on her face; like now.

It was 511's turn now to look at his CO in disgust, "Ah…Now I see… You tell me off all these time and look at yourself! Man, you just want her for yourself, right?" 511 said to 494, clucking his tongue. He received a threatening glare for his efforts. 511 held his hands out in mock surrender.

"Ha-ha. Very funny, guys. Much as I would like to stay and chat, I have to go catch a nap now. Later," Max said with a wave of her hands, pushing herself off 511, who finally consented to release her. She tried to ignore 511's last comment; 494 could not possibly be flirting with her.

_Was he?_

She walked off, headed to her tent. She could feel the hair on her neck stand; it must be 494's gaze on her back.

* * *

494 watched as 452 walked towards her tent. He was not sure what possessed him to flirt that way with her. And in front of 511, at it! He was sure he would never hear the end of it from that big-mouth of a transgenic!

_Enough of this! Need to concentrate on the mission_, he scolded himself. With that, he walked towards 480 and Gab.

As 494 got closer, Gab stood up and studied him assessingly, "It's quite rare to see you whole and intact after an encounter with 452. I guess that meant you were civil for once," he remarked, raising one eyebrow.

494 felt himself bristling at Gab's words. _Was he implying that it was my fault 452 and I don't get along?_ He retorted, "It was only that once in the gym. And if I recall, you did not fare much better. You were the first one down,"

Unperturbed, Gab snorted, "That's because you caught me when I was distracted,"

"Yeah, I take it you missed the lesson on hand-to-hand combat. Distraction is not an excuse," 494 said with a smirk.

"Whatever, 494. I am too tired to argue with you now," Gab yawned. He really did not feel like fighting or arguing right now. They got another long day ahead of them. Shark DNA or not, all he wanted to do was to rest. 494 could wait.

Noting the tired look in the other transgenic's eyes, 494 said, "Well, you can go now. I am here to rotate with you,"

Nodding distractedly, Gab said, "Thanks, 494. Going to get some shut-eye now. Later,"

494 lips twisted as he heard 547's parting words. He sounded almost exactly like 452. _Must be her influence, _he mused _She has a habit of growing on you._ _Helps that she is hot_... _Wait! Did I just think that 452's hot?_ He groaned inwardly. _I am possessed! That's must be why!_

His eyes followed 547 retreating figure as he headed towards a tent.

Knowing what he was about to see but unable to look away, he saw 547 enter a tent. The one which 452 disappeared into earlier. _So I was right about them that night in the gym, _494 thought as his eyes narrowed.

494 could not understand why he even bothered to wonder what she did. He did not know 452. All he knew about her was that she escaped and he caught her. He knew that she liked to fight dirty judging from the night in the gym. And oh, she has a killer grip, let's not forget that. He rubbed his neck in remembrance of that unfortunate day. He could still feel her phantom fingers around his neck. And hmm…she got very soft lips. _Whoa! That's enough! Down boy!_

He turned to 480 to find the member of his unit looking at him strangely, "You alright?" 480 asked, concerned at his CO's odd expression.

"I'm always alright," 494 smirked.

* * *

As dawn turned to dusk, the transgenics started to mobilize. All of them were twitching in anticipation of the adrenaline rush that came only with this sort of challenge. They were built that way. They were built to enjoy the hunt.

"511, stay close to 735. You need to share your comms," 494 advised. Turning towards 480 and 501, he asked, "480, 501, you ready?"

"Affirmative, 494. Base is all set," 501 answered.

As she strapped the XM-26 shotgun across her back, Fye said, "511 and 422 on me. Ready to move out. We got some Intel to gather," She stepped away from the clearing with 511 and Val following close behind her.

"Alright, 547, 452. Got all your kit? Let's go," 494 said to Max and Gab. They were helping each other to strap their gear on.

494 had noticed the way they worked in perfect coordination during the preparation for the mission earlier. Part of him felt slightly envious; he had never worked so well with anyone. That sort of seamless coordination could only occur when both parties fully understood and trusted each other. 494 supposed that it was to be expected; 452 and 547 were very close. His lips compressed as he wondered what happened in the tent earlier, but he shook the question away. _None of my business,_ he told himself.

Max followed 494 who was in the lead, with Gab bringing up the rear. They moved silently through the forest towards the stronghold. They decided to approach from the west, with the intention of entering from the rooftop. The Intel team, led by Fye would attempt to gain entry from the north.

494 raised his hand, which signalled them to halt as they neared the building.

"I can see 3 guards," he said, looking at Max and Gab for reconfirmation. They nodded.

"Okay, since there are 3 of us and 3 of them, I say we just jump the fence and take them out one each," 494 said.

"Let's go for it," Gab agreed. Anticipation gleamed in his eyes.

Max nodded, "They are not looking here – let's go!"

All three of them leapt over the fence and blurred towards the guards. The guards, caught in choke-holds, did not know what hit them as they slumped unconscious to the floor.

"Grab the radio," 494 told Gab. Gab stuffed the radio into the pocket of his trousers.

Max spotted a drain pipe and proceeded to pull herself up. Gab and 494 followed close behind her. Once on the roof, Gab moved towards the door. Removing a kit from his pocket, he picked the lock. It took him only a few seconds to gain them entry into the building.

Manticore had located the blueprint of the building for them after the transgenics identified its location. The building was originally designed as a wallpaper factory. The team of transgenics had committed the information on the blueprint to their memory. They started down the escape stairs. They deduced that the most likely place for the scientists to be locked up was in one of the storage rooms where there were no windows. Silently, they continued down the hallway on the ground floor.

Suddenly, 494 held up a hand, signalling them tohalt. He cocked his head and listened intently, his shotgun poised in readiness in his hand. He heard footsteps, but it appeared to be moving away. He was motioning for Max and Gab to move when a shout rang out.

"Hey, you there! Hands up!" The transgenics turned to see a guard pointing a semi-automatic at them.

The transgenic slowly started to lift their arms, then suddenly Max and 494 blurred away from each other, zigzagging towards the guard. Gab hit the floor and rolled away from the line of fire. The guard let loose a wild shot in the confusion before 494 disabled him. The shot obviously triggered the security alert.

A loud alarm began to pierce the air.

"Cat's out of the bag," Max stated calmly as she sprinted beside 494. Gab was bringing up the rear as usual.

494 grinned at Max and Gab, "Let the fun begin,"

Gab grinned back at 494 and let out a whoop of laughter as they all ran to the end of the hallway.

Maxgrinned as she ran, the adrenaline rush fuelling her excitement.

As they reached another wing, Max could hear voices shouting for help. _Jackpot,_ she thought in satisfaction.

Her satisfaction was short-lived as she saw a few more commando-type guards appeared around the corner behind them. _Uh-oh!_

"There! Converge on them!" One of them, presumable the leader, ordered. His lackeys raised their weapons.

"452, get the prisoners. We'll cover you. 547 on me," 494 commanded. He started shooting as the guards started moving forward, fingers on triggers. Gab followed 494's example.

* * *

Max knew she was on the right track as the voices grew louder. She headed towards a door where the voices seemed to be originating from.

"Help us! Let us out!"

The noise came from behind a padlocked door. She gave it a hard kick. Still locked. Max turned around to see if she could find anything of use. Then she remembered what was strapped across her back. _Ah well, perhaps its time to get over this squeamishness_. Max swung her XM-26 shotgun forward and pressed the trigger. The lock shattered into bits, the metal pieces flying apart.

She opened the door to find the two scientists, chained to two bunk beds.

"Get us out of here, please," the dark hair olive skinned one pleaded. The other prisoner, a pale blonde man could only stare at her. He was in shock, Max realized.

Max nodded at the one who spoke, "Stay still and don't move," she aimed the shotgun at the chains and pressed the trigger. The two scientists jerked at the loud bang, and then they were free. "Let's go. Hurry. More guards will be here soon with all these shots," Max said, motioning for them to follow her.

"Wait!" the dark one stopped her, uncertain look in his eyes as he fidgeted at the doorway.

"What! Mister, we are in a hostile territory here, just in case you didn't notice. We don't have time to wait," Max said impatiently, frowning. She could see 494 and Gab as they headed towards her. They really needed to go. What did the scientist want?

"We saw a couple of other prisoners. Young ones, like you lot. They were tortured. Maybe could you get them out as well?" he stammered, his eyes hopeful as they searched Max's eyes.

Max only debated for a second before saying, "Where are they?"

"Just at the end of this corridor, I think. We heard screams yesterday,"

Max nodded, "Okay, I'll go get them," she started to move when she felt a grip on her arm. She turned to see 494 frowning at her. "What now?" she asked, returning his frown with one of her own.

"This is not within our mission parameters. We got what we came for. Let's go," 494 said, giving her arm a tug, trying to make her go with him.

Max stared at 494 in disbelieve. He can't possibly be so heartless. She said, "Look, smart-ass. There are people here who need help. Or is it a concept so alien that you cannot understand it? It'll just take a second. You grab these two and I'll be with you soon," She tried to shake his hand off her arm.

Gab was standing looking back and forth between the two transgenics, looking torn. He knew that 494 was right, but he could see Max's point too. He did not know what to do, so he just gestured for the scientists to follow him as he started leading them to safety. _Might as well get a start on it while those two argue_, he thought. There was not time to waste; the prisoners were priority. He has to just trust Max to handle 494 by herself.

"494, I am bringing the prisoners back now," Gab hollered at him as he led the scientists to safety.

494 nodded to Gab just as he heard 511's voice through the comms, "Alpha-2 to Alpha-1, we got our intel, we are returning to base now,"

"Alpha-1 to Alpha-2, we will be right behind you, over," 494 spoke rapidly.

Turning his attention back to Max, "452, you are jeopardizing the mission!" 494 hissed. His grip on her arms tightened. He was getting annoyed at 452's stubbornness.

"Alpha-2 to Alpha-1, what is going on there?" They could hear Val on the comms, concern clearly audible in her voice.

Max answered, careful not to call Val by her name, "I'm fine, 422. Get out of there. We will regroup at Base"

Then, turning her attention to 494, "Go without me, then!" Max hissed back, yanking her arm roughly from his grasp. At that moment, she did not care if he reported her and get her thrown back into psy-ops. If there were other prisoners here, she could not in good conscience leave them to be tortured.

Not waiting for his reply, she turned and blurred to the end of the corridor. Another locked door stood between her and the prisoners. Now that she was standing in front of the door, she could hear muffled voices inside. _Gagged_, she thought. Without further pause, she shot the lock open and pushed the door.

And she stopped in her tracks, eyes wide as she realised who the other prisoner resembled.

**t.b.c.**

* * *

A/N: I know what you are thinking - Another one of these endings…(grins). Please, don't let it put you off reviewing. Your reviews really help in deciding which way the story goes. I am waiting here in anticipation for your reviews!

A/N: On another note, I am going to indulge in some self-advertisement. Hehe! Just posted a new story called 'Deception' and I have just completed 'Remember', so if you can still stomach any more of my stories, please check them out.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews; you guys are great! This chapter is slightly shorter than the usual, sorry! Next one should make up for it! Work has been killing me this week, but at the end of the day, I always felt better after reading your reviews!

**W1cked angel** – Hehe! Yup, just had to add another explosive ingredient to make things even messier! Thanks for reviewing.

**Angel of Darkness231** – Glad you liked the long detailed chapters. Sorry this one is a bit shorter. Gosh, do you have something against Max! Not to worry about the antagonism between 494 and Max, they'll grow out of it soon (winks)! Thanks for reviewing.

**Mel11** – Thanks for your review. The comm is the least of Fye's problems right now (grins wickedly). Read on to find out who the mystery person is!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Aw, sweetie, you don't really want to stalk me…do you? DO YOU? (cringes and backs further away from scary reviewer, namely IT). As for Fye…(laughs evilly) Nyah-nyah! You cannot find me! Ahem…anyway…Many thanks for your scary…er…comments.

**Kungfuchick **– Hey, thanks for reviewing this and reading Deception. Glad you liked it. Read on and tell me if it was who you expected!

**Kelzaa** – Yup! Yet another cliffhanger, lol! 494 is going to encounter more resistance, you'll see! Thanks for your review.

**HoneyX5-452** – Glad to see that you are still here. Was afraid you may abandon the story due to the length! And of course, a bit of jealousy wouldn't harm 494! Thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie **– Not too hard to guess who it is, it seemed. I must be losing my touch! Argh! Must try to be more vague next time (grins). Thanks for reviewing!

**Gamegirl452** – Yup…action for another couple of chapters then moves on to…erm…can't tell you (grins!). Thanks for your review on this and your compliments on Remember. I'll get on to the sequel right after I complete Deception ;p

**Toniboo** – I know, I know…The MA action WILL be here soon. Give it a few more chapters (winks). Thanks for your review.

**Alana84** – Glad you appreciate the action. It is going to be that way the next couple of chapters, so tell me if it's getting too much, lol! It's not too hard to guess who's in 'prison', I suppose! Thanks for reviewing.

**NoAngell** – Thanks for your review. Oh yes! I know that feeling of getting caught staring as well. Very embarrassing. Hehe! But at least we now know she liked his abs! Identity of mystery prisoner coming up!

**BlackytheHelraiser (anon)** – Aw, admit it! You like those endings! Keeps you guessing until the next update (grins)! Thanks for reviewing.

**L80Bug (anon)** – He will start treating her better, you will see. Read on to find out who the other prisoners were. Thanks for your review.

**452/494 forever (anon)** – Thanks. Glad you liked it.

**Angelofdarkness78** – All your bad influence, angel! So you understand why I keep ending it with cliffhangers, lol! Not too hard to guess – someone from her past! You'll find out in a second! Thanks for reviewing.

**Cora (anon)** – Thanks for your review. Hehe! I'll probably run out of cliffhangers soon, (sigh!). MUST find more ways of ending it!

**EnIgMa (anon**) – Your first review! Hehe! Thanks! Aw, it's not so bad…The ending of the previous chapter was quite tame, I thought!

**Pookie vampires** – Thanks for reviewing! Ah, you love them really! Makes me sad to think that you might hate my precious cliffhangers (sobs)! How do I do it? I don't know…otherwise I would have put them at the end of every chapter! Shirtless males…hmmm…let me see where I can write them in (grins!)! What requests? Me? Predictable? Darn!

**Amelya** - Max and 494 on a mission again? Possibly...I can't tell you much! Spoils the fun! Thanks for your review.

Moving on…

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 12 – Lost and Found**

(by elle6778)

She stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide as she realised who the other prisoner resembled.

"Zack?" Max whispered as she stared in shock at the sibling she had not seen in years. It was a wonder she could recognise him after so many years. But there was no mistaking the facial structure and the steely look in his eyes.

She suddenly snapped herself awake as she realized the danger they were in. Zack was still gagged. She could see another still female form lying beside him. She was facing away from Max, so she could not see her face. Stepping closer, Max removed his gag.

"Max!" Her name came out of his mouth, confirming that he was indeed her long-lost sibling. "What in the world are you doing here," he asked in confusion as she shot at his chains to release him.

"We'll talk later. We need to get you out of here," she started to reach for the other person. A girl, she noted, taking in the shoulder length dark hair.

"Let me get Jondy," Zack said, turning to lift the still body.

Max froze. _That's Jondy! Okay, this is not the time to over-think!_

"Let's move, now!" she said. She rushed towards the door to run smack into a hard body.

_494._

"452," 494 said as he looked at Zack with Jondy in his arms, "I see you got what you came for. Can we go now! 547 is already on his way back to Base," And to Zack he said, "Hand her over to me, you're injured. Otherwise you will just slow us down," Not realizing that Zack was a transgenic and could hear every mumble, 494 said under his breath, "Humans! Just what we needed,"

Zack did not move as he stared at 494 intently, "Ben?"

"Oh, not that again! It's getting old!" 494 groaned, and then it suddenly dawned on him, "What? Who are…?" 494 asked the same time as Max said, "Zack… This is not a good time to explain…"

"Max, what's going on? Is he from Manticore?" Zack asked, throwing 494 a suspicious look.

Max nodded and sighed, "Ben's genetic twin. Come on! We need to go. I'll fill you in on the way out. 494 could carry Jondy". She looked at 494 who shrugged, reaching out his arms for Jondy.

Zack grudging put Jondy in 494's arms, and they took off. 494 and Max could hear some undefined noises from their comms which sounds like Alpha-2 fighting. _No wonder there were not many guards here, they must be all over the other side, _Max thought. As they ran out of the building, she filled Zack in on the highlights of her capture.

"Bastard!" Zack said as Max told him about 494's part in her capture. He shot a glare at 494's back.

494 smirked. He heard every word they said.

As they approached the fence, they were stopped by another two burly soldiers. 494 lowered the still unconscious Jondy on the paving. The three of them surrounded her still unconscious body while they faced the soldiers. One of the soldiers started shooting. The transgenics ducked, Zack moving to cover Jondy's body with his as Max and 494 rushed at the enemy soldiers.

Max swung the butt of her shotgun at the soldier closest to her as 494 fired at the others in the limbs, forcing them to release their hold on their weapons. The soldiers just advanced, seemingly unaware of their bleeding limbs. Max and 494 exchanged a worried look.

Thinking that Max was an easy mark, one of the soldiers ignored 494 and headed straight for her. As they fought, Max realised that she could be in real trouble. Although she was getting her punches and kicks in, the soldier seemed completely unaffected. No matter what she tried, he just pressed on. She knew that she has to rely on her weapon to get her out of trouble this time. She was about to aim her shotgun at him when he lunged at her, capturing her in his hold.

494 released rounds after rounds of bullets at the soldier who was trying to advance towards him. After what seemed to be the millionth round in 494's mind, the soldier finally went down. His sigh of relief was cut short as he turned around to see Max caught in a choke hold by the other soldier. 494 felt his heart sink at the sight. Throwing his empty shotgun to the side, he blurred towards the remaining soldier.

The soldier, preoccupied with his task of choking the life out of Max, did not notice 494's approach. It was a fatal mistake. 494 reached up, and in one smooth move, twisted his neck. The soldier's neck broke with a sickening crack; his lifeless arms finally released Max from the choke hold.

Max slumped to the ground next to the dead soldier, heaving as she coughed.

494 went down on his knees beside her. Bending his head close to hers, he asked softly, "You okay?" He tentatively put an arm around her. When she did not push his arm away, he felt an odd sense of relief.

Max swallowed painfully; her throat felt crushed. She saw the look of concern he gave her as their eyes locked. Smiling gratefully, she said, "Yeah, thanks," His arms around her felt comforting and she felt a reassuring warmth wash over her. She dismissed the shiver that ran up her spine at his look. She blamed her odd reaction at her near brush with death.

Realising that this was the first time that she bestowed a genuine smile on him, 494 could not help grinning back at her. He still had his arms around her and he felt strangely reluctant to remove it. They looked at each other wordlessly for a moment. Then he decided to break the contact before he did something stupid.

_Like kissing her._

Giving her shoulders a reassuring squeeze, he reluctantly detached his arms from her. He winced as he stood up, realising that a bullet has grazed him in the fleshy part of his upper thigh.

Ignoring the pain, he walked towards the other two '09-ers. He lips twitched as he noticed Zack glaring at him. No doubt the other transgenic noticed that little display with 452. It was the same look that 547 kept giving him. Bending over Zack, he noticed that the other transgenic has caught a bullet when he tried to shield Jondy. 494 took a piece of bandage out of his rucksack and proceeded to tie up his and Zack's wound. Both of them remained silent all the while.

Knowing that they should move before more soldiers arrive, 494 signalled for Max and Zack to start running. Then he hefted Jondy up in his arms and followed close behind them.

As they ran towards the perimeter fence, Max's thoughts went back to the fight. Shooting a sideways glance at 494, she asked, "Did you notice something strange about them?"

Sparing a quick glance at Max, 494 answered, "Yeah, they did not seem to feel any of the shots. It's odd. Maybe the intel that 735 had collected would tell us something,"

Max nodded, a frown marring her face as she thought of the strength and the lack of reaction of the enemy soldiers.

The transgenics continued to cross the fence, squeezing through a newly cut opening in the fence. Presumably cut by Gab earlier to enable the scientists to escape. They were running on the other side of the fence when both 494 and Max stopped in their tracks, flinching as they heard an ear piercing scream of pain through their comms, and then…

"422!" 511 shouted.

"Go 511… Alpha-1, go. LEAVE!" Val's broken voice came through the comms.

Max felt a feeling of dread as she registered the sound of her friend's voice. _NO! Something is very wrong!_ Max thought frantically. "Val, what's going on?" She accidentally let slip Val's name in her fear.

"Base to Alpha-2, you want to tell us what is going on?" 480 asked anxiously.

"Base, we need back-up!" 511 said evenly over the comms, clearly trying to keep his calm.

"No! Go! Or they will get you as well" Val urged desperately, "Max, you gotta leave! Now!"

"Alpha-2, what the hell is going on there?" 494 snapped impatiently, worry evident in his voice.

"Alpha-1, 511 got the Intel. He needs to get out of here before they get him as well. 735 and I are compromised. There's no way to get us out," Val forced out, pain obvious in her voice.

494 deliberated for a moment before asking, "511, can you get them out?" 494 asked, a furrow forming between his brows. _This is bad_, he thought to himself.

"494, 735 got trapped in a room when the automatic trap mechanism activated suddenly. 422's legs were trapped under the door when the door slammed down," 511 answered softly. His usual boisterous tone was absent from his voice.

Max gasped in horror as 511's word sank in. She shook her head at 494, knowing and dreading what he was going to say next.

494 paused, clearly hating what he was about to say, "511, pull back. Get out of there and head back to base," he said softly but firmly, leaving them in no doubt whatsoever that it was an order. He hated himself for giving the order, but there was no other viable option. He was hurt and they have two additional loads with them. If they did not get out now, all of them may be captured.

"494!" Max urgently, grabbing his arms, "What are you doing? My CO and friend are still in there. Don't do this!"

"You got your orders, 452. Back to base," 494 insisted as he twisted his body, jerking his arm away from her. _Hell! That damned vice grip again._ He resisted the urge to rub his abused arm. Not that he could anyway; he had his arms full with the other '09-er. _They are going to be the death of him, _he thought darkly.

"We can't just leave them," Max yelled, although she knew deep inside that they probably could not do much at this stage. However, she was afraid that if they left now, the trail would go cold. She did not want to lose two of her unit mates. She had lost eleven of them once before.

"Keep it down, 452. Have you been listening? They are trapped. There's nothing we could do. We'll get help once we get back to Manticore," 494 was not sure why he felt the need to justify his actions to 452. Maybe he felt compelled because of the pain he could see in her eyes. He tore his eyes from hers, not wanting to subject himself to that look in her eyes any longer.

Max looked at him with troubled eyes as he started walking away rapidly. He was limping slightly but he was obviously disregarding the pain in his thighs. She felt slightly ashamed of her outburst. Jondy still cradled in his arms, he walked through the woods towards their base-camp. She fell into step behind him. Zack moved next to her. He heard what 494 said.

"We are not going back to Manticore," Zack asserted, looking at Max.

Max turned to him, remembering that, yes, there was no way in hell Zack would want to go back to Manticore. There was a slight problem – Jondy was still unconscious and Zack had a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. "Both you and Jondy in no state for Escape and Evade, Zack," Max tried to reason with him as they neared the Base. She could see the two scientists being tended by 480, who was acting as their field med.

Gab noticed their approach and started walking towards them, wanting to make sure that the rest of them were alright. He had heard their conversation on the comms.

"Hey, Max," Gab greeted, his face showing no sign of his usual cheerfulness. Noticing Zack, he asked, "Who's this?"

Still wondering what they could do to prevent Zack and Jondy being dragged back to Manticore, Max answered distractedly, "He's my brother, Zack. Zack, this is Gab,"

Zack nodded at the dark haired transgenic.

Gab raised his eyebrows in surprise and returned Zack's nod. Looking back and forth between Zack and Max, he found himself hard pressed to find the family resemblance there. He opened his mouth to speak but fell silent as Zack spoke.

"We have to leave, Max. We'll take our chances out there. We did not go through so much trouble escaping to willingly walk back into Manticore. Come with us, Max. You know you can't stay here," he coaxed, smiling at Max.

_Can I? _Max thought, missing Gab's gasp of shock.

She was torn. On one hand, she wanted to leave, to be free and to catch up with Dani and the rest of her siblings. On the other hand, in the last few years she had formed new bonds with her own kind and had gotten used to the regime and structure of Manticore. And considering what just happened, she would not be able to live with herself if she went with Zack without knowing if Fye and Val were alright. If she escaped, then where would she be? Back to scrounging for food, breaking and entering to subsidise her existence, looking over her shoulders, being on guard and fearing tactical exposure all the time. If she stayed, then she would be at Manticore's disposal all the time, doing whatever they want her to do whenever required. She would have no say in her own life. But now that she thought about it, in the last couple of years, the thought of escape did not even cross her mind. Could it possibly be that she actually was content to remain in Manticore?

494's voice broke Max out of the reverie, "I'm afraid I cannot let _Max_ leave with you," 494 said in a hard tone, turning his head around, reminding them of his presence. He gave Zack a hard stare. _Who does he think he is, trying to drag her into trouble again after all she has been through?_

Zack clenched his jaws in irritation. _What business of his is this? _He shot 494 a furious glare as he strode over to face the other transgenic who had just deposited Jondy with 480; his primal territorial instincts kicking in. 494 returned his glare with one of his own, his body tensed in readiness to pounce at a moments notice.

Seeing the familiar warning signs of a pending fight, Max intervened, forcing a lightness into her voice, "Hey, chill, both of you. Leave this for later. We have more important things to worry about now. We need to come up with a plan to get them out,"

Neither Zack nor 494 paid Max any attention.

Max stared at the two transgenics. They did not seem to hear her. Either that or they were just ignoring her. She shot a worried glance at Gab who stood silently by her side.

Gab just shrugged. As far as he was concerned, this had nothing to do with him. _As long as Max remained with them,_ he added, tensing at the thought of Max leaving. Gab would gladly pound Zack into a pulp if he decided to play on Max's feelings to get her to go with him. Gab would not care at that point if he was her brother or not.

"What is it to you? And why should I care what you want?" Zack spat into 494's face. He glared in an unconscious attempt to assert his dominance. 494's attitude was grating on his nerves.

Unflinchingly, although he could feel Zack's commanding presence, 494 answered "I am now her CO and she is part of this strike team. _You, _howeverare not part of it. I personally don't give a shit what you decide to do with yourself. So what do we say you go your own way and let us finish our job, huh?" 494 has no intention of backing down. As far as he can tell, the '09-er was not more dominant than he was. And even if he was, there was no chance that he was walking away with 452 in tow.

"I say she could decide for herself. And she doesn't belong to Manticore," Zack said as he gestured towards Max, "Right, Max?" He turned his expectant gaze at her.

Avoiding his eyes, Max released an exasperated sigh, "It has been a long day, and right now I am more concerned about 735 and 422 to think about anything else," she said, dismissively waving her arms in refusal to say anything else. She did not want to be caught in one of the infamous alpha brawls. They got these fights far too often nowadays back in Manticore. Must be the hormones that came with their age. Testosterone to be specific. _Males!_ Max thought in disgust.

"There you go… she wants to stay," 494 said with a smug look on his face, conveniently interpreting Max's words to his liking.

"Really? When did she actually say that, huh? Anyway, why do any of you want to remain in Manticore? They are treating you _that_ well, is that it?" Zack mocked.

"Maybe it's just because we do not possess the same sort of traitorous tendency which is second nature to you," 494 taunted. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. He sneaked a subtle glance at 452.

"Enough!" Max finally snapped, tired of the squabbling between the two males. She turned to 494 and said "Look, we had our reasons for what we did. You weren't there, so it's probably a bit hard to explain,"

"Try me, 452," 494 said, hands held out in invitation for an answer. He really wanted to know what possessed 12 genetically engineered soldiers, bred since birth to follow orders, to throw everything to the winds and escape. And spend their entire life after that being hunted by their creators.

Before Max could reply, Zack retorted, "They made one of us stay in the tank too long; he drowned. They cut up one of our unit when he had seizures; he's dead. Later they shot our 2IC right in front of us; she's dead too. Are those good enough reasons to leave? Not to mention all the others who were just dragged away, never to return. No one bothered to tell us what happened to them," His face twisted in suppressed anger. Zack never understood why the rest of the transgenic willingly stayed and continued to obey Manticore blindly. Like the cocky transgenic in front of him right now.

"You should have asked," a familiar voice suddenly said behind him.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: Okay…okay… I know that I should seek help for my addiction to cliffhangers. But you guys know me so well by now that you probably could guess who this is (grins)! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. I don't need to tell you how much I love you reviews!

A/N: For those who are interested in knowing what the characters look like, please check out my homepage. There is a link in there for the cast.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: More actiony stuff coming up in this chapter and the next. After that, we are back to life as teenagers in Manticore, and the budding romance between you-know-who! Thanks for all your reviews, you guys are a great encouragement to my writing!

**Mel11 - **Yes, I did try to seek help but they told me to go get a life! Lol! No more waiting, the next chapter is up! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick – **Good guess, girl! Glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for your review.

**Angel Of Darkness231 **– Thanks for your review. Fast update? I still need to think of something to write, lol! Me? Evil? Surely you don't mean that!

**EnIgMa** **(anon)** – Erm…I'm not sure, but I am trying to aim as close as I can for the legal age! It will probably happen earlier, like in half a year to a year when Max is 16. Not exactly together, but they will at least stand the sight of each other soon. Thanks for reviewing.

**Kelzaa** – I know you like all the cliffies -:grins:- Yup, you got it right!

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Thanks for your review. I take it you are a Zack fan? Lol! As if I don't know from reading your stories! Testosterone – what else do you expect from 16 year old males!

**HoneyX5-452** – It is going to be a bit hard to write a romance with Zack in it, because the story will grow to be too long! But I'll see what I can do. Currently, Max is 15 and 494 is 16. Thanks for you review.

**Iridescent Twilight** – -:Phew:- Thank goodness you are not that dedicated, lol! I fear for my life sometimes when I hear your threats. Fye? Hehe, you'll find out in Chapter…let me see…15. Hey, I like testosterone driven males -:winks:- And I am sure you guessed correctly who the speaker was! Thanks for your lack of threats this time! -:grins:-

**L80bug** – Thanks for your review. You will find out soon who it was. Yup, Max is a bit torn, but it was not a hard decision for her in the end.

**Toniboo** – Ah…I can't promise you that! But I will continue to update -:winks:- Thanks for your review.

**Aria-Chan** – Thanks for the compliment on the story. As you can see, update is here!

**Cora (anon) **– I wish that it was true…but sadly, I do run out of cliffhangers -:sighs:-. Read on to see if the familiar voice is who you think it is. Thanks for reviewing.

**Lady marauder (anon)** – Me? Mean! Why, what did I do? -:grins:- Identity of the familiar voice is up next! Thanks for your review.

**GuestTypePerson (anon)** – You are back! -:hugs:- I was beginning to think that I had a hand in your demise with a book cart. Glad to see you her anyway, hope you like the way the story is going so far. Thanks for reviewing.

**Alana84** – Thanks for you review. I am so glad someone spotted that MA moment. It was going to be the catalyst for something later. Nah, cliffhangers are great, not mean! -:grins:-

**Gamegirl452** – Glad you liked the reintroduction of Zack and Jondy. I needed them in for a part of the overall plot! Good guess on the voice! Thanks for reviewing this and also for reading my other stories -:grins:-

**Lotamoxie** – She is torn, but the choice is obvious at that moment, I suppose. I am slowly getting into the main plot now…Hehe! Well, you'll see what happens in the next chapter. Thanks for your review.

**NoAngell** – Don't worry about him He will not play that large a role, but I need him to do something for the overall plot later. I shouldn't be introducing more characters, I hope. But I could remove some –:grins evilly:-. I doubt that Max would abandon her unit, so no, she's not leaving. Thank you for your review, and I hope you will keep on reading.

**Sarah (anon)** – You read it all in one go! Anyway, I took your suggestion and put the names beneath the pictures. So hope it's less irritating now, lol! I keep telling everyone, my cliffhangers are really not that bad, they are always quite tame -:grins:- Thanks for reviewing.

Onwards with the story…

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 13 - Integration**

(by elle6778)

"You should have asked," a familiar voice suddenly said.

Zack turned around slowly, heart beating frantically at the familiar voice from his childhood.

"766 had a gun pointed to me, 599. I had no choice," the familiar voice continued.

Lydecker.

Max froze. They were so engrossed in their argument that they did not notice Lydecker approach.

"Nice to see you again 599. We have been looking for you," Lydecker said. The camp was suddenly surrounded by TAC soldiers. "Restrain him!" he said to the TAC team.

"No!" Max choked out as the TAC team converged on Zack. She did not know what she was going to do but she needed to do something. She started to step forward when Lydecker stopped her.

"You don't want to do that, 452," he warned, sounding almost regretful. Max stopped, her eyes observing as Zack, realizing that he was outnumbered, decided to stop fighting. Zack threw murderous look at 494 which said that it was entirely his fault. 494 remained impassive.

Satisfied that Zack was secure, Lydecker turned his attention to 494, "494, we heard you over the comms earlier about 735 and 422. Report!"

494 told Lydecker all he knew. By this time, Gab, 511, 480 and 501 had joined them. Lydecker listened to each of their reports, including Max's. He just stood there digesting the information, while the transgenics waited for his response.

"Alright, listen up. They would have stepped up the security in the area after all that had happened. Now, they are likely to start sweeping the area for you all. We need to evacuate the area _now_," he paused at the flicker he had seen in Max's eyes as he said that. He knew that Max did not want to leave without her unit mates. He heard them over the comms.

A little too late now, Lydecker was beginning to realize that some of the transgenics developed deep attachments with their unit mates. This explained Unit 2's behaviour after the unfortunate incident with 766. In all their research, Manticore had neglected to consider something painfully obvious – these transgenics were also part human, with human emotions. He continued, "We have the intel now. And we will analyse this back in Manticore. Hopefully it will tell us what we need to know. Once we have an idea of what we are dealing with, we will send out another rescue team for 735 and 422,"

Max did not want to be left out of the rescue mission. Steeling herself, she spoke, "Sir, permission to join the rescue team. I believe that I could be beneficial to the mission from my experiences today, Sir!"

Holding her gaze as he looked at her searchingly, he said "I'll keep that in mind. Now we need to go before our position is compromised,"

* * *

Max, Gab, 511 and 494 sat silently in the same SUV, all of them subdued. Max and Gab was thinking about Fye and Val. 511 was wondering how to lighten up their moods. And 494 was replaying the nights events in his mind. 

494 meant every word he said to Zack. Fye was not around, so he was 452's CO. So he was responsible for her at least until they got back to Manticore. He could not believe that Zack was foolish enough to want to escape in the state he and Jondy was in. Just how far did he think they could get before they were caught again?

He snuck a surreptitious look at Max. She was unseeingly staring straight, deep in thought. He suddenly decided that he had enough of the silence.

"Hey, 452? Care to share your thoughts," he asked.

Max looked up, startled. She frowned suspiciously when she realised that 494's words lacked its usual bite. Warily, she asked, "What is it to you?"

494 shrugged. With an innocent face, he said, "Just making conversation. I like a bit of noise once in a while,"

Before Max could reply, 511 snorted and said, "Come off it, 494. You can be as quiet as a mouse for days if you put your mind to it,"

"Maybe he could teach Gab here something then," Max said, poking Gab in the ribs.

Flinching away, Gab gave her a mock frown and said, "Hey, watch where you put that finger of yours. I got bruises from the fight. And, for the record, I be quiet too, if I wanted to. Just that when I am near you, you wouldn't let me shut up,"

Gab was glad that 494 broke the silence; it was getting to be uncomfortable. At some point during the mission, he realised that 494 was actually not as bad as Max made him out to be. He was a good CO, Gab would give him that. And he seemed alright so long as he was not near Max. Max, for some reason, seemed to bring out the worst in him. Gab felt his lips twitch as a thought occurred to him. _They say there is a fine line between love and hate._

"Right," Max muttered under her breath, oblivious to her friend's thoughts. She looked up to see the twinkle in 494's eyes and the amused twitch of his lips. Her lips compressed, _he's laughing at me, the jerk._ She was about to open her mouth to say something biting. Then she remembered the way he looked when he bent over her after he saved her. She thawed slightly. _Perhaps he was not so bad after all,_ she thought. They rarely remained in such close proximity without her having to think up sharp retorts to throw at him. Now as she studied him, she realised just how good looking he was. Granted, she thought the same thing in the woods during her first heat, but she put in down to her hormones.

"What?" he asked defensively, feeling unnerved by the way she was studying him.

"Look, 494. I know we have not been on good terms for a long time. But I just wanted you to know that I appreciate what you did back there," she said softly, hoping that he would not throw it back in her face.

Her words surprised him, so 494 just nodded.

Looking back and forth between 494 and Max, Gab felt the urge to say something he knew he would regret when Max got hold of him alone. Opening his eyes wide in a look of innocence, he asked, "Isn't it tradition for the damsel in distress to reward her knight in shining armour with a thank you kiss for saving her life?"

Max gave him a look of horror and proceeded to smack his arm. Hard. Gab yelled in protest.

494, who was initially stunned at 547's remark, started smiling as he realised what the other transgenic's words meant. It meant that perhaps they were not that close after all.

With a mischievous gleam in his eyes, 494 said, "So, any chance of me getting my reward, 452?"

"In your dreams, 494!" Max retorted, alternately pinning Gab and 494 with a glare.

The guys laughed at the look on her face.

* * *

It was just dawn as the transgenics arrived back at Manticore. 494, Zack and Jondy were herded into med bay, while the rest of them returned to their dorms to join their unit. 

The seven remaining transgenics from unit 4 woke up when Max and Gab entered the room. Max could see them searching for their CO. Noting the tense, expectant look on their faces; she knew that they suspected that something was not quite right. Even Zip and Speed the two clowns of the unit look subdued. She saw Speed reach out for Cass, offering her comfort. Matt had approached her as she emptied her kit onto her bed to be sorted out. Numb with tiredness and helplessness, she sat on her bed, sorting comms kit from the weaponry. She heard footsteps approaching her.

"Max, is everything alright? Where's 735 and Val?" Matt asked apprehensively, his hand reaching out to touch her shoulder. He glanced over at an uncharacteristically quiet Gab who was also unpacking next to Max.

Max sighed. No way to avoid telling them what they want to know. Might as well get to the point, "They were captured. We couldn't get them out. Lydecker will send out another rescue team once he analysed the intel we gathered,"

Matt felt his heart stop as he registered Max's words. Although all of them grew up together, Val was his best friend, his confidant. She was the one who always knew what he thought even before he realised it himself. Granted, her ability to read him so well was partly contributed by her special empathy skills. Matt refused to think of what life would be like without her around. They needed to get Val and their CO out. There was no other option.

The silence in the room was deafening. No one knew what to say to the unexpected news. Fye was respected by her unit, and her plight was a blow to morale. Max could see the light in their eyes dim.

Not able to bear the silence any longer, Max spoke, "Listen up, guys. We need to keep going strong. Lydecker will get them back. Manticore would not let any of us remain captured by a hostile force. There's also a chance that they will send us out to get them. They are analysing the data as we speak, so maybe we'll hear something soon,"

"But it might be too late," Matt exclaimed. His jaw was clenched tight in the effort to remain calm.

That thought also occurred to Max. _What if they were too late? We really need to get back out there quick,_ she thought. An idea suddenly clicked in her head, "Or, maybe we should offer our help now. Not much use in us sitting here waiting,"

Her words sent a buzz through the room.

"She's right," Matt said, "We need to do something – and what could be more helpful in data analysis than a bunch of transgenics with off-the-charts IQs?"

A ripple of agreement wentaround the room.

"Yeah, so long as we get permission to do it. So…who's gonna approach Lydecker to volunteer our services?" Gab asked pointedly.

Seven pairs of eyes zeroed in on Max and Matt.

* * *

Max and Matt marched purposefully towards the door at the end of the corridor. Two armed guards were standing nearby, watching their approach rather apprehensively. Till this day, they were not too comfortable dealing with these transgenics unless armed with tasers. 

"We would like to see Colonel Lydecker," Matt said in a commanding tone to one of them.

Giving Matt an assessing look, the guard replied, "Let me find out if Colonel Lydecker is available," He walked into a door, closing it behind him. A few moments later, he emerged and nodded the two transgenics through.

"Sir! X5-452 and X5-481, Sir!" Matt snapped out. Both him and Max saluted.

"At ease, soldiers. What brings you here?" Lydecker looked up from his desk with a suspicious expression on his face. It was extremely rare for his kids to come knocking at his door. He only got these sort of behaviour from his kids when there was an emergency.

"Permission to speak freely, sir!" Matt said, his eyes stared forward expressionlessly.

"Go ahead, 481," Lydecker said. _What could possibly have happened for them to need to speak to him this way_? He was beginning to feel a bit worried.

"We were made aware of the status of X5-735 and X5-422 earlier this morning. X5-735 is our CO and X5-422 is an essential member of our unit. We heard about the mission outcome from X5-452 after her debriefing. We understand that one of the teams succeeded in gathering important Intel on the enemy. We also understand that this information has a direct impact on a possible rescue operation for X5-735 and X5-422. As the 2IC of Unit 4, I would like to offer our assistance in analysing this information. We believe that our help would be beneficial to the operation," Matt explained succinctly. Outwardly, he looked every inch the emotionless Manticore soldier, but inside, he was shaking with nerves. _What if Lydecker decided to throw them into reindoctrination for speaking out of turn?_ Steeling his jittery nerves, Matt awaited Lydecker's response.

Lydecker appraised them in silence. This was not what he expected when the two transgenics came into his office. _This is a first, _he thought. It never occurred to him or anyone in Manticore that one day, his kids would come offering Manticore help. Granted, they did it to help save their unit members. But still…

He looked at 452 suspiciously, "452, this happened to be you idea?"

Max froze, not expecting to be addressed directly by Lydecker. They had agreed that since Matt was 2IC, he would speak for them all. Her flickering eyes belying her nervousness, she answered crisply, "Affirmative, sir,"

Lydecker considered the idea. It was a good idea. Although they were still in their mid-teens, his kids would definitely do a much better job than Manticore's usual analysts. He wondered why they never thought of doing that before. He knew why – because they did not trust them. They did not trust each other. He thought back to his conversation with the visitor six years ago. The transgenics were only trusted with missions which does not involve the internal affairs of Manticore. The Battle Processor Unit who was currently undergoing training for these sorts of work would be ideal analysts but Manticore never intended to use them for internal works.

Well, things have to change. Starting now.

"Who's your handler today?" Lydecker asked, seemingly changing the topic.

"I believe it is Sergeant Hales, Sir. He is in charge of our morning drills," Matt answered.

"452, inform Sergeant Hales that I want a word with him. Unit 4 will skip the morning drills. 481, prepare your unit and get them into Logistics Room 1 at 0730 hours. I'll see you there,"

"Sir, yes, sir!" the two transgenics snapped out, and turned to leave.

"452, you stay,"

Max stopped at Lydecker's words. Turning around in apprehension, she shut the door behind her.

"Sir?" _What have I done now? _

"I just wanted to say that you came up with a good idea. Now, I know you don't like Manticore much. But I am hoping that we could start working together from now on. It would be beneficial for both of us,"

Max just barely stopped her jaw from dropping. _I did not hear right. He can't possibly have said that,_ she thought. She remained silent.

Lydecker looked at the teenager in front of him, a picture of a perfect soldier. He could see the distrust in her eyes, confirming the visitor's words. Deciding that he had to try to gain her trust for anything to improve, he continued, "599 and 210 as you probably know, will be sent for reindoctrination after they have recovered from their injuries. For your information, they are fine, just malnourished. They just needed some rest. Then they will be introduced to their new unit. At this point, I don't think it would be feasible to re-form Unit 2, seeing that there's only four of you in here. I was thinking that after the rescue operation, you may like to pay your siblings a visit?"

"What?" Max couldn't help herself. The entire conversation was getting way too weird. She finally gave in and gaped at Lydecker as he smiled. _He's up to something_, she thought suspiciously.

"Why the surprise, Max?" he said, noticing her eyes growing bigger at the use of her name, "You can't seriously expect us not to know what you are up to all these time. We heard you over the comms too. Anyway, I knew it even before you escaped. Yes, I know you have names... Look, contrary to what you think, all I want is the best for you kids, alright,"

She couldn't stop herself, "Right, that's what you thought when you were cutting us up, shooting us and hunting us down," Mortified at her own words, she clamped her mouth shut. Stiffening, she prepared herself for the punishment she knew would surely come at her outburst. _Stupid! What have you done? Couldn't you have waited till AFTER the rescue? _A voice in her head chided her.

Lydecker stiffened. In a hard voice, he said, "You are not in the position to challenge my actions, soldier. But to set the record straight once and for all, let me tell you this. Firstly, 417, your brother Jack, was already dead when we operated on him. His seizure was so bad, we couldn't do anything to save him. Cutting him up, as you put it, was necessary if we wanted to know what was wrong to prevent similar things happening to you. Secondly, as I said to Zack, Eva pointed a gun at me. What did you expect us to do? And thirdly, you actually expected us not to search for you? You are a prototype resulting from millions of dollars of Research and Development. And you are different from the rest of the humans out there. What do you think they would do if they find out what you are? You are not safe out there. This facility is a secret government facility. No one out there knows what you are,"

Stunned at Lydecker's answer, Max just stood there, not knowing what to say. She just couldn't admit it, not just yet, but his words had a ring of truth in it. She knew that her outburst has crossed the line into insubordination and resigned herself to be punished.

_Better get it over with, _she thought, "I was out of order. I accept any punishment as you see fit," she said, not being able to keep the dread in her voice.

Lydecker shook his head in amusement, "Max, just as hot-headed as ever. You need to learn to keep it in check. It's not a good trait for a soldier. I'll let you off this time. See that it doesn't happen again, understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir"

"Go get Sergeant Hales for me. You are dismissed,"

Max snapped a salute and left.

Max found Hales and passed on Lydeckers words. She didn't relax until she got to her dorm. There, she sat down on her bunk and exhaled her relief. _Phew, that was close. I wonder why the sudden change in Lydecker. _

_Maybe he has grown soft, _Max chuckled.

* * *

Unit 4 spent the entire morning deciphering the data from the disks copied by Fye and her team. It was midday when they had enough information to plan an operation. Lydecker was pleased at the speed the results were achived. After a concise discussion on the mission parameters, which involved Lydecker's input this time, a decision was made. 

As there was one other possible location for the enemy base, all agreed that it was better to send out two teams at once. The information had indicated that both bases are highly guarded by enhanced humans which have some unknown implants at the base of their necks. Making them stronger. Fye and Val's tracer told them that they have been moved to the second base. Presumably the first base, the one they visited last night, would be on alert waiting for them.

"I suggest 481 to lead one strike team, and 452 to lead the second. The rest of you could split yourself between the two teams," Lydecker said.

"No disrespect, sir, but there's only four or five of us in each team. The odds are not good," Matt said to Lydecker. Lydecker had told them all to speak frankly in this mission briefing. He did not want them to hold anything back, at the risk of jeopardising the mission, just because they were afraid of him.

"What do you suggest then," Lydecker asked, pinning his gaze on the teenage transgenics in front of him.

"Are there any other X5s available?" Speed asked, thinking that they could increase their numbers by borrowing from other units.

"Still would not be enough, I think. Some of them are exhausted, not to mention injured from last night's mission" Gab said, rubbing his head. Shark DNA or not, he still needed a couple of hours of sleep, especially after a mission. He practically had none last night.

"It's tactically unwise to deploy so many of the same series all at once. The committee would not allow it," Lydecker added. The committee would not want to put all their eggs in one basket.

They sat quietly, thinking.

Deciding to break the silence, Max suggested, "How about the X6s? There are many of them, and numbers are what we need. What if each team deploys with four X5s and add a few X6s?" she looked around, noting the look of surprise on her unit's faces. She knew that the X6s were considered young, but if they had been through the same training she had before she escaped, there were no reason why they could not operate well on a mission.

"The X6s are young, and relatively inexperienced," Lydecker said with a concerned frown, "I am not convinced that it will work,"

"If we bring in some X3s I have in mind, it may work?" Max insisted. She had an idea that she thinks may work.

"The X3s are not active military units, 452. They are more experimental. Who do you have in mind?" Lydecker asked curiously. As far as he could tell, the X3s were not exceptional.

"There are a group of X3s in the basement with enhanced physical capabilities which I think could rival the enemy forces. I was under the impression that they were locked up in the basement cells because they did not measure up to some sort of testing." She hoped that no one thought to ask her how she knew about the basement residents.

Zip stared at Max, "You can't be serious. You mean the anomalies?"

Gab muttered under his breath, "As if we are much more normal than they are,"

Max shook her head side to side, "They are not really anomalies. They do look like normal humans, just a lot taller and much more muscular,"

Lydecker nodded in comprehension, "I know the ones you mean. They were designed as front-liners, big, strong and fast. But then Manticore realised that it was hard to send them out due to their size. They attract too much attention. And their behaviour was somewhat unpredictable,"

"Well, I think they would be beneficial to the mission," Max said, trying to convince her unit and Lydecker. She could understand their hesitation. The basement freaks, or anomalies, were feared by many of the younger transgenics.

Lydecker deliberated the idea in his head, then nodded, "Well, if you take the responsibility of ensuring that the X3s follow orders, then you may include them," Looking around at the rest of his kids, "So, is everyone in agreement?"

A short pause, then, they answered in unison, "Sir, yes, sir!"

* * *

494 has been thinking. He was not able to shake the strange feeling within him. 452 always had the knack of doing this to him. He knew that he was not completely without blame. He could not seem to stop himself from saying all those stuff to her. And as his remarks were always disparaging, he was not surprised that she always treated him with antagonism. 

He let his mind wander back to the mission. When the enemy soldier had her in a chokehold earlier, he was surprised at how scared he felt. He did not understand why she evoked such a strong reaction from him, but he could not help it. He also wondered at his own reactions when 547's remarks in the SUV brought him a feeling of relief.

He had watched the interaction between 452 and the two others from his unit during the mission, and wished that he could be included. He knew that unless things change between them, it would not ever happen. Making up his mind, he decided that there was only one thing he could do to repair the damage.

He would call a truce.

**t.b.c.**

* * *

A/N: See! No cliffhangers! -:(elle twitches violently from withdrawal effects):- So, please send me a review to let me know how you feel about it. Can I bring the cliffhangers back? Please? 

A/N: Pictures in my homepage have_ names_ under it now, thanks to Sarah for pointing it out.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**EnIgMa (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Hope this is soon enough an update for you! -:winks:-

**Angelofdarkness78** – This whole chapter, as you will soon find out, is a mission. Lol! Brain dead after writing the mission, hence it's not very long. Thanks for your review.

**Gamegirl452** – Hehe! Sorry to disappoint, but 494 was shot in the last mission, so I thought he would be a liability ;p. I promise, his name IS coming up, either in Chapter 15/16. I just need to fit the scene in somewhere realistic! Thanks for reviewing and your encouraging words. I appreciate it!

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Thanks for your review. Yeah, I thought it was time 494 and Max stopped squabbling. I am running out of insults for them to throw at each other.

**Mel11** – I think I am sinking into depression due to lack of cliffhangers -:slumps:- Glad you find cliffhangers interesting, I think I am bringing it back after this one, lol! Read on to find out if Fye and Val made it out. Thanks for reviewing.

**NoAngell **– Lydecker? -:grins:- Okay… I'll update the spreadsheet. Come to think of it, I might do another poll soon, now that there are more characters. Thanks for reviewing.

**Sarah (anon)** – Yes, I know! Gab and Matt are my favorites, apart from Alec, of course. -:grins:- And yes, they are slowly becoming more tolerant of each other! Lol! Thanks for your review.

**Kungfuchick **– Thanks for reviewing. I miss the cliffhangers too! The X3s Max meant was Hulk, the big muscular giant. Funny you should mention Kelpy; he's coming in the next chapter. -:grins:-

**Random Rose** – Yeah, I need to do a poll to see what people want. Cliffhangers or not! Thanks for reviewing.

**Iridescent Twilight** – Thanks for your review. I think Lydecker managed to sneak up on them because they were too full of testosterone fuelled anger to see straight! Actually, I quite enjoyed your threats –:grins:- I kinda missed them like the way you miss my cliffhangers, lol!

**Jynx-7 (anon)** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the story. I think Max did not appear to be worried because she's not exactly unhappy in Manticore anymore and she also could not really do anything else to help them. Does this make sense?

**Kelzaa** – Thanks for reviewing -:Sighs:- What have you got against my lovely cliffhangers, lol! I suppose if it makes you happy…

**Calistra** – Thanks for reviewing. Longer chapters? I could try to do longer chapters but it would mean less often updates. -:grins:- I tried to strike a balance between the two and ended up with 3000words, lol!

**Toniboo** – Hey, why no cliffhangers! -:grumbles:- Hehe! Thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie** – Thanks for your review. Yup, I think Deck is getting the idea and this will play a larger role in the plot later. As for Zack, he's hurt and surrounded so for the moment there's nothing much he could do. And he's not giving up -:grins:-. I have PLANS for him -:wicked laughter:-

**L80bug** – Thanks for reviewing. Read on and tell me what you think of this chapter.

**Alana84** – I like the SUV moment too. There will be more MA stuff in the next few chapters after all these missions! You'll find out about the truce only in the next chapter, I am afraid - sorry. Thanks for your review.

**Gabbie760** – Thanks for reviewing. Don't worry about the commenting -:grins:- Anyway, I am tempted to do something for those two you mentioned, but I can't decide! We'll see!

Okay, let's move on to the last detailed mission (for now) then…

* * *

**RETRIEVED - Chapter 14 - Follow the Leader**

(by elle6778)

All of them agreed that they should not wait any longer. Less than 24 hours after Max and Gab returned to Manticore, unit 4 plus their reinforcements left Manticore again in several SUVs. Two teams were deployed at the same time but in opposite directions.

It was decided that Matt would lead the attack on the first base. Their objective would be to gather as much information as they could and to destroy the facility. Sandy, Zip, Treve, seven X6s and three X3s made up Matt's team.

The second base, where Fye and Val were currently being held according to their tracers, was Max's responsibility. Max will be heading up the rescue mission. Her team comprised of four X5s, seven X6s and three X3s.

After setting up their Base Control, Max's team started to move out towards the perimeter of the enemy base. Cass, the baby of unit 4 and another X6 were left behind to man the Base, keeping track of the mobile transgenics' movements.

"Gamma team, establish a perimeter around the west," Max said while signalling with her hands, sending an X3 called Bear, Hulk, Gab and the three X6s disappearing off silently into the night. She waited for them to leave her sight before turning back the other transgenics.

"Delta team, on me," she signalled as she inched forward towards the enemy facility bringing with her half of her strike team. Which consisted of another X3 called Truck, Speed, 401, and three X6s.

As Delta team snuck forward, Max could see the almost imperceptible movement of the Gamma team as they spread out to circle the facility from the west. She nodded in satisfaction, so far so good. She headed towards the east. The plan was for the Delta team to go in and retrieve the two transgenics while Gamma team, led by Gab, create a diversion.

She signalled her team to wait. The transgenics observed as the guards at the door, not noticing anything suspicious, continued to pace up and down listlessly. "Gamma team, proceed with diversion. Now!" Max said softly, knowing that Gab was expecting the command and would react instantly.

Delta team only had to wait moments before the sound of a single shot rang out in the air. And then all hell broke loose as the alarms started blaring. The guards near the door abandoned their posts, running towards the sound of the now continuous gunshots. Max grinned as she saw the guards scatter. _Idiots! Defence rule number 43 - Never abandon your post!_ She thought. Turning to her team she signalled "Go!"

Three taller and seven smaller figures blurred towards the unguarded entrance. Once in, they headed towards the basement, the deduced location of Fye and Val. Their journey to the basement was uninterruptedNo sign of any guards._ Probably have their hands full, thanks to Gamma Team. Gab loves explosives and firepower_, Max smiled fondly. She could hear the background noise from her comms implant. Gab and the X3s in Gamma team were making teasing remarks and challenges to each other as rounds after rounds were shot. Shaking her head, she hissed, "Guys, cut it out. It's not playtime yet!" All she got for an answer were the sounds of muffled laughter.

Looking down, Max studied the blinking spot on the flat black panel in her hand. _This way_, she motioned silently using hand signals, turning round a corner. They have only taken a few steps when two guards appeared at the end of the corridor in front of them.

"Hey, you there! Freeze!" one of them shouted, lifting his gun. The transgenics froze. Max signalled behind her back to the X6s.

Then in a blink of an eye, three of the X6s blurred forward in unison. The guards hesitated, staring in stupefaction at the sight of the ten year olds darting at them. In seconds, they landed on the floor, unconscious. Max grinned and gave the X6s an approving nod. They nodded back, keeping their face expressionless, but Max could see the excitement in their eyes. It was their first away mission and they were eager to please. Max wished she was that enthusiastic about the mission.

"Not too long now, Fye, Val… Hang on, we are coming to get you," Max muttered under her breath. She and the three X6s flattened themselves against the wall, creeping forward. The rest of the Delta team were further behind, on the opposite side of the wall

The basement smelt musty and damp. Max could hear a leaky pipe dripping somewhere, it's drips echoing through the corridor. She looked down at the flat black panel in her hand. They were approaching the twin blinking spot on the screen. Approaching what looked like a lab, Max noticed with dread. Labs were never a good sign. More often than not, it signified testing and torture.

Nudging the door open a crack, she peered in. What she saw made her feel ill.

Two men in lab coats were standing over the still form of a dark haired girl, who was strapped down to an operating table. One has a scalpel in his hand, another was checking a tube which was running from the girl's arm. Blood was flowing from the tube into some beakers. Probes were protruding from her scalp. Max could see the numerous open cuts on her naked form. Tissue samples, she thought numbly.

Another girl was lying on a gurney, her arms and legs also strapped down. She was unconscious, but there were no noticeable wounds. She was clothed in a hospital gown which reminded Max of their younger days in Manticore before she escaped.

Max barely refrained from yelling out in outrage at their treatment of her friends. The transgenics were not animals to be tortured and tested, she protested silently. Her eyes hardened as she clamped down on her emotions. In soldier mode again, she signalled to her team.

Two X6s stayed at the door as the rest of them burst in, surprising the lab techs. Without pause, Truck disabled the lab techs, simply by grabbing them and smashing their heads together. The remaining X6 headed towards the computer consoles downloading data into portable discs. Fishing out blocks of C4 from his pack, 401 went around the lab, setting the charges expertly. Max and Speed headed towards the gurneys to release Fye and Val from their bindings.

As Speed unbound Val, she stirred, opening her eyes, "564?" she croaked, blinking her eyes against the glare of the lamps over her.

"Shh! Don't talk; you need to conserve your energy. We're getting you out of here. Can you stand?" Speed asked, arms around Val helping her up. She nodded, and stood unsteadily.

"Guys, you found them?" Gab's concerned voice filtered through each of their comms.

"Affirmative, 547. We have 735 and 422. In the process of releasing them now," Max answered, "Delta to Base, we need medics and birds, over,"

"Base to Delta, we'll see what we can do. We need to call back to Manticore," Cass answered crisply.

"Base, do what you need to do, but make sure it happens. And soon. 735 and 422 are in no state to run out of here," Then she turned to Fye.

Max could feel her tears stinging her eyes as she ripped away the straps, tubes and probes from Fye. _The bastards!_ She thought in fury, noticing the state her friend and CO was in. "Fye? 735?" she whispered. No response. Max did not expect any response. It was a miracle she was still breathing even. Max bent over one of the unconscious lab tech and started to remove his clothes. Seeing her actions, Truck and the X6 came over to help. They held Fye up as Max dressed her quickly in the clothes.

Max and the rest of the transgenics jumped as a terse voice suddenly came through their comms, "452, we have a problem. It seems that a new squad has decided to join the party. They are headed your way," Gab's voice came through the comms.

"How many?" Max asked calmly, although she was nervous inside at the thought of having to fight off more enemies with Fye and Val in tow.

"Ten. Looks military," he answered.

"Shit! Gamma team, converge on the facility. Wait until they enter then pin them in. Base! Any luck with the birds?" Max snapped into her comms. She handed Fye over to 401 and signalled for them to move out.

"Affirmative, Delta. Command sending out two choppers with field medics. Get to the roof. They'll pick you up over there," Cass answered from the Base. Reaching the door, Max signalled Truck and the two X6s who were guarding the door to stay at her side as she led the team out. Speed had an arm around Val, propping her as she tried to walk unsuccessfully. Finally giving up, she allowed Speed to hoist her into his arm. 401 cradled Fye in his arms.

"Good work, Base. How…" Max was cut short as five burly soldiers appeared in front of them, blocking their exit. _This must be our gatecrashers,_ she thought.

Signalling over her shoulders to instruct those behind her to take cover, Max, Truck and the two X6s leapt forward at the soldiers. They landed near them, relieving them of their weapons before they could fire a single shot. The soldiers struck back with force.

Max landed a kick on one's chest, sending him flying across the corridor. He smacked into the wall, fracturing the plaster and then promptly got up, advancing on her again, snarling. _What on earth!_ Max stared in shock. That would have normally disabled them for awhile. She realised that this must be the same ones as those they encountered in the last mission. The ones which she would not make the same mistake of underestimating again.

Max crouched. As he neared her, hands outstretched to grab her, she blurred past to one side of him. Pulling her arm in a wide arc to gain more force, she swung it back crashing into the back of the soldier's neck, bringing him down. Without further hesitation, she grabbed his neck with both hands, twisting it at an unnatural angle. She heard a satisfying crack as his neck snapped. She felt no remorse at her actions after what she'd seen them do to her friends. She hated to kill but they deserved it.

Truck was busy with two of the enemy soldiers. Towering over the two enemy soldiers, he presented an imposing picture. He wrapped his beefy arms around one of them squeezing the air out of the struggling soldier's lungs. Max could almost hear his ribcage fracture as Truck tightened his arms. As the soldier slumped to the ground he charged at the other one, ramming him into the wall. Following Max's example, he snapped the soldier's neck.

Max was stunned at how easily Truck managed to disable them. He made it seem to effortless. Manticore truly did not know what they missed when the relegated this particular type of X3s to the basement. When Truck turned to face her, she gave him a grin and a thumbs-up.

Her attention shifted to a sound a few feet away. Max noticed that the two X6s had joined the fight. One of them extracted a knife; their standard issue Merc tactical knife which was specifically designed for CQB (Close Quarters Battle). He reached up and jumped on the back of the soldier who had another X6 in a choke hold. Without blinking an eye, he yanking the soldier's head back and slashed the knife across his throat. Blood spurted out in an arc from his severed artery as the X6 released his hold. The sticky red liquid splattered onto the X6s.

Max shook her head at the bloodied X6s. _Someone ought to teach them to be a bit less messy_, she thought with a grimace, noticing the splashes and puddles of blood around them. She looked around to survey the condition of her team. Fye was still in 401's arms and Speed was carrying a semi-conscious Val. Three X6s brought up the rear. Signalling them to follow her while keeping the same formation, she rushed them up the escape stairs. She hoped that the chopper would be nearby.

"Gamma team, we are heading up the north escape stairs. Explosives in position?" Max queried, wanting to make sure everything was going as planned.

"Delta, the place is ready to blow. Current status; we are tailing the gate-crashers," Gab answered.

"Good, Gamma. Base? Prepare to pull out. Leave once the birds complete their pick-up" Max instructed. She did not want to risk any of them getting caught especially after seeing what they did to Fye. She thought that Manticore was bad, but this lot of people were worse.

"Command got us some wheels. We are transmitting from the van now," Cass's voice came through the comms.

"Okay, sounds like everything is in order. Good job, guys," Max said with relief. Then she caught herself short. _Not so soon, we still need to get out of here!_

As they reached the top of the stairs, Max could hear footsteps somewhere behind them. _Great! More of them!_ Looking around as she stepped out into the roof, she scowled as she did not see what she expected to see. _Where the hell are the birds?_ She thought in irritation.

"547! Get your team up here NOW!" Max snapped, "We have hostiles heading up the escape stairs. We need you to block the other end,"

"Gotcha, 452," Gab answered glibly, but Max could hear the underlying tension in his voice. She only knew Gab for a little more than three years, but it always astounded her how well they could read each other. She shook her thoughts away; she needed to keep her mind on the mission.

Backing away from the escape door, she motioned the rest of them to find cover, and for Truck and the three X6s to stay with her. Thinking of the mess which the X6s just left behind in the corridor, Max signalled to them, 'Shoot to disable, not to kill'. They nodded in understanding. All five of them stood in a row, pointing their XM-26s at the door.

As the door burst open to display five more of those bulky soldiers, the transgenics fired simultaneously into their legs. When the bullets tore into their thighs, they staggered. However the soldiers amazingly regained their balance in seconds. And the continued to advance towards the transgenics, fury in their eyes. Max shuddered inwardly, _What are these things?_ Pointing her gun at their other leg, she shot again, the three X6s following suit. Again, they staggered, then advanced. They obviously were not affected by the shots.

Making up her mind, she quickly signalled to her team again. This time, they were shooting to kill. Countless shots later, the enemy soldiers were lying lifeless on the ground. Max was confused at the behaviour of the soldiers. They were definitely not any ordinary soldiers. _Interesting, _she thought. Manticore would definitely like to know them better.

Max heard the approach of the chopper. She turned towards the sky to see a sleek black form. _Finally!_ She thought with some relief. "Gamma, state your position!" she shouted as the chopper came closer.

"We're at the bottom of the stairs coming up. More enemy soldiers headed up your way," Gab said.

Frowning, Max asked, "How many?" _Don't they ever run out of soldiers?_

"Three more," Hulk answered this time.

Max had an idea. Quickly, she said, "Alright. Let them come up. Do not engage, I repeat, do not engage,"

"What the hell? 452? Are you nuts?" Gab's incredulous voice came through the comms. _Why not engage,_ he thought with a frown. Those guys need to be taught a lesson.

"You'll see," Max answered cryptically. Turning to the waiting transgenics from her team, she signalled her plan. The transgenics moved into position.

As the three soldiers stepped onto the roof, the X6s shot them in the legs, breaking their stride. Truck, Max and 401 jumped them from the sides, holding them down, while another two X6s tied them up with a rope. Then the transgenics got up and surveyed their work with smiles on their faces.

Gamma team arrived a moment later, intact. They stood at the roof looking at the soldiers who were securely bound and gagged. Gab glanced a Max, raising an eyebrow in question.

Shrugging, Max said with a grin, "Present for Lydecker,"

The transgenics laughed. The chopper finally landed and the transgenic started to board. The field medics helped Speed to lift Fye up into the stretcher, securing her. Once everyone was safe on the chopper, the medics immediately started working on Fye's battered body.

When the choppers finally lifted up with its passengers, Gab and 401 extracted a box from their pocket. When they were satisfied that they were at a safe distance, Gab and 401 grinned at each other and pressed the red button hidden under a safety lid.

The remote triggered the large number of C4 explosives which they scattered all over the facility. The explosion blasted up high in the air, its waves rocking the chopper. Max looked out and observed as the blasts flattened the facility into a pile of rubble. She smiled.

_Mission accomplished._

* * *

**t.b.c. **(-:sigh:- No cliffhangers)

A/N: Sorry, guys. This chapter is a bit shorter. Promise I will upload the next one as soon as I finish it. Anyway, this is the end of the missions for a while. Next chapter will be focussed more on relationships etc. For those of you who are reading Deception, I am in the middle of untangling that mess I created, so I am a bit snowed-under. -:grins:- As usual, I would love to hear your views on this chapter and while you are at it, tell me of any relationships, apart from the obvious -:grins:- which you want more details on!

A/N: Important poll (for me!)! Please vote for – Cliffhangers or No Cliffhangers -:grins:-


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

**HeLrAiSeR32 (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Vote noted! And I intend to keep the chapters coming.

**W1cked angel** – lol! I take it that means that you voted yes for cliffhangers! Thanks for your review.

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Aw, you don't like my cliffhangers -:sobs:-? Haha! Glad you liked the chapter. But there won't be many more missions this detailed in the later chappies! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick** – Glad you like cliffhangers -:grins:-. MA stuff is starting about now and will carry on, hopefully! As for Gab, we'll find him someone! Thanks for your review.

**Calistra** – Max's report coming up! Hope you like this chapter. Thanks for reviewing. (btw, I put in a A/N for your fic at the end)

**Mel11** – Yay! Another cliffy supporter! Hehe! I shall start thinking up more of those! Thanks for your review.

**Angelofdarkness78** – lol! I am sure you have bigger words that that. I swear I have seen it in your fic! No more detailed mission for this fic -:phew:- I hope! Thanks for reviewing.

**Iridescent Twilight** – Thanks for your review. Haha! It doesn't matter how many times you say 'no', or in how many languages, lol! It still counts as 1 vote! Yeah, right. Your politeness was subtly laced with disguised threats. Nice try! -:grins:-

**Toniboo** – No, they are not evil! -:grins:- Your thoughts are noted. Her basement friends will come up in a few more chapters. Thanks for reviewing!

**Lotamoxie** – Lydecker, Zack and Jondy coming up! Hope it's up to expectations! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kelzaa** – Aw, why no cliffhangers! Lol! Thanks for reviewing!

**HoneyX5-452** – Zack and Jondy coming up! No sign of romance yet, though! Thanks for your review.

**Chance32 (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. I update on average every 4/5 days, so is that often enough for cliffhangers? -:winks:- And a little bit of torture is always good -:grins:-

**GuestTypePerson (anon)** – I'll take your advice and space it out. The relationships are by no means sorted out in this chapter, just introduced. I have been dying to ask. What exactly do you do? I mean it's a pretty high risk stuff cavorting with evil book carts -:grins:- Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Glad you liked the action, but I think there'll be less action in the next few chapters. Hope you are ok with that -:grins:- Thanks for your review and your vote!

**Gabbie760 **– Thanks for your review. Glad you like it. Read on and tell me what you think.

**Gamegirl452 **– Aw, the cliffhangers aren't that bad! Lol! I am trying to get into the main plot now, so hopefully it will get more interesting. Thank you for saying my writing is improving, I am so happy to hear that! I haven't seen Fantastic Four yet but I am planning to. Have you seen it? Is it good?

**Sarah **– Alec WILL be in the next chapter, I promise! Hehe! I can't seem to fit it in here! Yes, you are right. Gab needs a girl. I'll think of something soon, hopefully! And thanks for the review and for voting 'yes' for cliffhangers -:grins happily:-

Moving on with the story…

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 15 – Old and New**

(by elle6778)

Back at Manticore, Max's team learnt that Matt's team was back. They were waiting for her team to join them for debriefing. Matt's team also carried out their mission with success, accomplishing the task of data retrieval and destruction of the first facility. After debriefing the entire team of transgenic, Lydecker dismissed all of them except Matt and Max.

"I have your reports here, which I will go through in detail later. Now, I want you to tell me your thoughts about the X3s and X6s. Speak freely," he told the two transgenics who were standing in front of him. He gestured for Matt to start.

"The X6s performed well, considering their age. They followed orders and kept to the mission parameters. One of them seemed nervous, but it was to be expected considering that the mission was her first away mission," Matt reported, "All of them came out unscathed. As for the X3s, I must say that I am impressed at their strength,"

Lydecker nodded and turned to Max.

"I agree with 481, Sir. The X6s had shown great potential in spite of their lack of experience. One thing did strike me, though. They carry out the job as required but they seemed to lack the finesse. They were quite messy,"

"Messy?" Lydecker queried, raising an eyebrow.

"When they terminate the enemies, they left quite a mess," Max explained, remembering all the blood.

Lydecker chuckled, "I am sure that it will sort itself out as they get more experience. What about the X3s?"

Max could not help but smile, "The X3s were amazing. They are not as agile as the X5s but they are very strong. They followed orders as expected, and carried them out with minimum of fuss. Considering that they have not been trained as military units, I am surprised at how quickly they caught on,"

"Interesting… I have to say that I had my reservations about sending them out, precisely because of their lack of training. But it seemed that everything worked out, which is good. Well done, both of you,"

"Sir, actually, I have a small request to do with the X3s. Um…" Max said, faltering slightly.

Lydecker frowned at her hesitation, "Spit it out, 452. I thought I told you to speak freely," Lydecker admonished. He wanted his kids to trust him enough to speak freely without worrying about possible punishment. Of all people, he thought that Max would understand this.

"I can see why they are considered as an anomaly, but they are strong and they are smart. Perhaps they could be re-assessed and put on active duty occasionally when needed. Like some sort of specialist?" she suggested tentatively.

Lydecker gave her a thoughtful look, "I'll see what I can do," He made a note to bring this up the next time the visitor came to see him. Looking back and forth between Max and Matt, he asked, "Anything else I should know?"

Max cleared her throat before she spoke, "Sir? Those soldiers we brought back with us…"

Lydeckers lips twitched, "Yes, 452. Thank you so kindly for the…erm…present,"

Max cringed; obviously Lydecker had heard her over the comms.

"What about them?" he continued with a small smile.

"What are Manticore's plans for them?" she asked curiously.

"I can't say yet. They will be interrogated, of course, then we'll see. Rest assured that if you are interested, I'll keep you informed," Lydecker said, guessing correctly that this mission had a personal impact on the two transgenics in front of him hence their interest in its progress.

"Could we be informed of 735 and 422's development as well?" Matt asked

Lydecker nodded, "Your unit will be informed of their condition when the medical team completed their diagnosis. If there's nothing else, you can go now, 481. 452, you stay. I need a word with you,"

Lydecker waited until the door swung closed behind Matt before he spoke.

"452, I believe I promised you a visit," Lydecker said to the girl in front of him. _She had grown so much and so did the rest of them. She must be at least 15, or approaching 16 now_, Lydecker thought. Her age was in her file, but it was not something that he usually checked.

Max looked at Lydecker, anticipation gleaming in her eyes. "Sir?" she asked, hoping that he meant what she thought he meant.

"Come," he said, and led her to the med wing. Max followed obediently. Stopping at a door marked 'Bay D', he pushed the door open and went in, signalling Max to follow him.

Max heard the beeping of health monitors as she stepped into the white-walled room. She saw Zack and Jondy lying in two single hospital beds. They were restrained.

Lydecker turned to her, noticing the direction of her troubled eyes. He said, "It's a necessary precaution. You can stay until the nurse comes back," Then he left her alone with her siblings.

Max walked between the beds. Both Zack and Jondy appeared to be sleeping. She reached out her hand to smooth Jondy's dark hair from her brow.

Jondy stirred. Opening her eyes, she saw Max, "Max?" she said in surprise. Looking around, she asked, "Where am I? Is that really you, Max? You're alive! I saw you go through the ice and I thought…"

Max grinned, happy that her sister recognised her instantly. She reached out and hugged Jondy. She nodded, "Yeah, its me. All the time in the tank actually came to some good. How are you feeling?"

Jondy groaned, "Like crap! Where's this?"

"Manticore med bay,"

"MANTICORE!" She screeched. Jondy sat up abruptly, looking left and right in agitation, "You're kidding right?" Then she slumped as she noticed the chains around her arms and legs.

Jondy's voice jolted Zack into awareness. He sat up, instantly alert.

Max shook her head, "No. I'm not. We are really at Manticore. Hi Zack, feeling better?"

"Okay, could be better," Zack answered. He frowned as he took in his surroundings, including the shackles.

Jondy stared at Max, aghast, "Max, what's going on here? Tell me," she demanded, confused.

Blinking his eyes, Zack pinned his gaze on Max, "Yeah, Max. Been meaning to ask you how come you are working for Lydecker after all these time. And after everything he had done to us,"

"What happened that night we escaped?" Jondy asked.

Max sat down at the edge of Jondy's bed, holding one of her hands, "I got out of the ice that night and escaped. I was here and there for a while, then I met a friend, Dani, and we both went to Seattle. Somehow, Manticore found out I was there and sent a couple of X5s after me. I was quite unlucky. They caught me while I was having seizures. That was a little more than three years ago. Since then I went through reindoctrination and got re-assigned a new unit. We were out on a rescue mission when we found you. Zack was hurt and you were unconscious. Lydecker was there. You can guess the rest,"

"That sucks. You've been back for more than three years? Any changes?" Jondy asked curiously.

Max grinned, "Nah, same old Manticore. Tougher lessons and tougher training though. And we do go on away missions. I've only been on a couple so far, both this week. I was quite surprised that they trusted me enough to let me go on missions. Thought that they would ground me, flight risk and all. But enough about me, tell me about you? How did you both end up being caught?"

Jondy looked at Zack. Zack answered, "I was in Denver, so I decided to pay a visit to Jondy. She lives in a little town called Castle Rock near Denver,"

"Since he had found me before, I didn't have any problems recognising him. You cannot believe how weird it was when I saw him for the first time after the escape. I mean, he has HAIR! I was already working as a waitress in a truck stop then, and Zack just strolled in. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but it didn't take me long to figure out. He still had that CO thing all over him,"

Zack looked at Jondy, his lips twitching, and continued, "Well, where were we? Yeah, I went to visit her at work one night to find a couple of drunken idiots trying to feel her up. Well, I kinda saw red, so I punched them out,"

"Punch? A bit of an understatement, isn't it? Zack, you almost killed them!" Jondy exclaimed, eyeing her CO.

"What happened next?" Max prompted. She was curious how both of them managed to get caught at the same time. Zack had always been exceptional in Escape and Evade.

"Well, next thing I know, a few more guys came in. I fought them as well, but I couldn't get anywhere. They just won't stay down. I wasn't even holding back. It was so strange, like they don't feel any of my hits. Anyway, eventually they subdued me and Jondy. I guess that's how we ended up being captured. Because next thing I know, we were stuck in a holding cell," Zack explained.

"Yeah, I know those lot of weirdos," Max said, "We just blew up their stronghold today. Got some data and two samples, so hopefully it will tell Manticore something,"

Zack bristled when he heard Max's words, "So now you are on Manticore's side? Since when, Max? Did you forget what they did to Jack? To Eva? And what were they going to do to you?"

"Zack…" Jondy tried to calm him down.

Knowing that this confrontation with Zack would happen sooner or later, Max sighed, "Look, believe me when I say that it is very clear in my mind what happened to Jack and Eva. They died. I know. But I don't think its Manticore's fault, not unless you count the fact that they made us. Lydecker explained what happened, and I think I believe him,"

"I can't believe you said that, Max. They have truly succeeded in _reindoctrinating_ you, X5-452. Lydecker should be proud of you, soldier!" Zack said in disgust.

Max flinched at the way Zack spat out her designation, like it was a foul taste in his mouth.

"Zack!" Jondy hissed, darting a fulminating glare at her CO. He glared back.

Turning to Max, Jondy said, "Okay, I am not sure I want to hear this. But I'll give the whole thing the benefit of a doubt. What exactly did Lydecker tell you about Jack and Eva?"

Max relayed Lydecker's explanation to her. That Jack was dead before they operated and that they had no choice with Eva. And the reason behind Manticore hunting them down.

"It has a ring of truth around it, actually," Jondy said thoughtfully.

Zack snorted in derision, "And you believe that? Both of you must be more naïve than I thought. All these training and all these time outside. All these time and you haven't learnt anything about not trusting everything you hear?"

Max stiffened at Zack's hurtful words, "Who gave you the right to judge, Zack? I have spent three years on the run, stealing to survive because I look too young to get a job. Looking over my shoulders and keeping my guard up all the time. Keeping everyone at arms length just in case they find out that I am not fully human. Then they brought me back. Granted, things are not always peachy. They push us hard in here, but at least we have some aim. And we have friends we don't have to _hide_ from day and night. Have you ever thought that maybe, _just maybe_, running was not such a good idea after all? Think about it, Zack, were we actually _free_?"

Zack and Jondy gaped at her outburst. Inwardly Zack felt a twinge of respect for Max in the way she stood her ground against him. The young Max he knew would not have dared to do so; she would have followed her CO's orders. The older Max has developed a backbone, and a very stubborn mind of her own.

Max stood up, not wanting to argue anymore with her newly reunited siblings. She gave Jondy a brief hug and moved towards the door. At the door, she turned back to her siblings and said, "Manticore is not a nice fairytale cottage with white picket fences, Zack, but it's the only home we know. And believe it or not, things are getting better. The fact that I am here _visiting_ you with Lydecker's consent should tell you something. I'll see you around,"

* * *

494 had just been discharged. His injuries were almost healed although he was shot only two nights ago. The nurse told him that he should stay out of physical training for a couple more days just to make sure there was no relapse. 494 practically ran out of the med may; he was so happy to be released after lying still and doing nothing for so long.

As he turned around the corner, a small body ran smack into him.

"Watch where you are going!" A familiar pair of flashing brown eyes glared at him.

Surprised, he lost his balance and fell over on his almost healed leg.

"Damn!" he cursed. He did not really hurt his leg; it was more his pride.

Before he could get up, she knelt beside him, "Hey, you okay?"

He could not believe his good luck. He had been trying to think of a way to talk to her without being too obvious, and now she was right here. Looking up, he saw the look on concern in her eyes and decided that he would not waste this opportunity.

"Um…yeah. It just hurts a bit," he winced at how pathetic he sounded. He hoped that she would assume it was because he was in pain.

"Sorry, didn't see you coming," she said, trying to hoist him up. Max felt guilty; this was the guy who saved her life not so long ago and she just ran him over while he's still injured.

494 deliberately made himself go limp in an attempt to be more convincing. He tried to keep his face from breaking out in a smile as she wrapped her arms around him to support him.

When she finally got him up, he leaned against the wall and said, "It's okay. I am fine. Thanks," He gave her a tentative smile.

She looked away. 494 could have sworn that she blushed.

"It's no biggie," she said, turning to go.

"Hey, 452," he said, stalling her, "Did you realise that we just had an almost civil conversation there?" he asked.

Max swung around, hands on her hips, "What do you mean?" she asked guardedly.

"I mean, we actually spoke without insulting each other," he said, grinning.

"What are you getting at, 494?" she eyed him suspiciously, not trusting the twinkle in his hazel eyes.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "I was thinking that since we are quite capable of having a normal chat, maybe we should do it more often,"

Max gaped at him. She did not know if he was serious or this was another one of his sarcastic taunts, but he sounded serious. 494 was behaving really strangely.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Did you happen to knock you head when you fell just now? Because I could have sworn that you actually sounded human a second ago," she proclaimed. Brain damage must be the only plausible explanation of his weird behaviour.

He raised his hands to his chest and his face twisted into an obviously fake look of hurt, "You wound me, 452. I was just trying to be friends," he said in a pitiful tone.

Max's lips quirked at the look on his face, but she still gave him a wary look.

"I didn't realise Manticore encouraged friendships," she said

"Not normally, but I am sure they would make an exception this time. I think I deserve it," 494 said with a straight face.

Max laughed, "I would love to see you say that to Renfro,"

494 made a face, "You wouldn't be so unkind as to sic Renfro on me, would you? That would be the ultimate torture,"

"You deserve it," Max said viciously, a grin starting to stretch across her face as an idea began to form in her head.

"Whatever you are thinking; It's not a good idea," 494 said, suddenly feeling apprehensive at the evil gleam in Max's eyes.

"I always have good ideas, 494," she retorted with a look that said she knew something he did not.

494 narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he remembered something, "That incident with my hair way back, that did not happen to be your idea, was it?"

"Huh? That? What makes you think it was my idea?" Max answered innocently.

_Too innocently_, he thought. He tried again, "Let's start this truce with a clean slate, okay?"

"What truce?" It was Max's turn to be suspicious now. Was he offering a truce? She wondered, surprised. So that must explain his strange behaviour earlier.

"I am calling a truce. I think it's about time we tried to get along. Don't you agree?" he asked, hoping that she would accept the truce, otherwise he did know what else he could do to make things better between them.

Max studied him for a moment before giving him a small nod, thinking that there was no harm in it. _At least now maybe he would stop taunting her_, she thought. However, she could not think of any reason why he would want a truce.

"So, you haven't answered my question," he prodded, interrupting her thoughts.

Max decided that she might as well come clean; after all, it happened almost three years ago. And considering that he was the one who wanted the truce, he would not jeopardise it by killing her. _Right?_

"You could say that," she answered simply, not wanting to give Cammy and Kelpy away. They were the ones who snuck into 494's dorm to plant the hair removal stuff on his pillow, seeing that Max could not possibly do it without being caught. She looked up to see his reaction to her words.

There was a pregnant silence as he just stared at her. Max forced herself not to fidget under his gaze. _Okay, maybe this is a good time to leave; he doesn't seem to be taking it that well,_ she thought.

494 finally decided to break the silence, "Let me get this right. You were responsible for me having to walk around in that stupid buzz cut for weeks until my hair grow back," he said menacingly, stepping closer to her.

"Erm…Truce, remember?" she reminded him pointedly, hoping that he will back off.

494 stopped short. Running his hands through his hair as if to reassure himself of its well being, he took a deep breath and said, "Yeah…" He deliberated if this was a good time to cause her bodily harm. Then he decided that in his condition, she could probably gain the upper hand. Not to mention that would be the end of the short-lived truce. Time to swallow his pride, "I'll let you off this time. Don't you ever do it again!" he snapped, scowling.

Max grinned, "Gee, thanks,"

494 felt his lips twitch, "I can't believe you did that! It was a horrible joke to play on someone. I was traumatised,"

Man snorted, "You did not seem that traumatised to me then. And anyway, I wouldn't have cared at that time. You were being such a pain in my ass," she retorted, still grinning.

"Ah, well, I needed some entertainment. And you were so easily riled, I can't stop myself," he admitted, the expression on his face so sincere that Max had to look away.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence again.

This time, Max broke it, "Well, I better get back now. Things to do, people to meet," she said

494 nodded, "See you around," he said.

She gave him a small wave and walked away.

494 let out a breath he did not know he was holding. _That did not go too badly, _he thought, a smile spreading across his face.

* * *

Matt was lying down in his bed, staring unseeingly at the ceiling above him. He had not been able to sleep for the last two nights since they rescued Fye and Val. His body was protesting against the abuse, but his mind would not shut down.

Matt decided he could not wait any longer. It has been two days since they returned from the second mission and there were still no news of any development in Val's or Fye's condition. Max told him that Val was conscious when they found her, so she should be alright. But Matt needed to see for himself. It was time they did something.

Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, he stood up facing the two empty beds in front of him. Max and Gab's beds.

He strode purposefully towards the gym to find them.

* * *

Matt had the eerie feeling of _deja-vu_ as the four of them crept silently along the hallway which led to the medical bay. As usual, Kelpy's unique blending skills helped in the procurement of a safe passage. It was not long before they arrived at the door which was labelled 'Intensive Care'.

"Looks like we are here, Max," Kelpy said, slowly unblending so that Max could see him. They were not worried about the visual monitors; Kelpy had temporarily disabled them.

Max nodded, "Thanks, Kelp. You are the best," She gave the chameleon a hug. Embarrassed, Kelpy accidentally blended the same colour as Max's clothes. Grey.

"Oops!" Max exclaimed, looking wide-eyed at a flustered Kelpy.

"Erm, Kelpy? I think that colour doesn't suit you at all," Gab teased, sniggering at the chameleon.

Matt nudged his insensitive friend and said, "Shut up, Gab," he said sternly, but there was laughter in his eyes.

Kelpy glared at them wordlessly and started concentration on getting himself back to his normal hue. When he finally looked human, he made a face at the dark haired transgenic who was still sniggering.

"Gab…That's enough," Max warned, smacking his shoulder.

"Sorry, Kelpy," Gab managed to choke out, rubbing his shoulder.

Kelpy just gave him a disgusted look and turned to the door.

Opening the door silently, they went into the room. As Matt's eyes adjusted to the dark room, he could make out two beds with two figures. Fye and Val, he thought.

As Max and Gab headed towards Fye, Matt walked over and knelt at the side of his friend's bed, taking in her pale features. She was naturally pale, but the tone of her skin this time contained a slight twinge of grey. He blinked; his eyes were stinging.

Softly, he stroked Val's limp hand and whispered, "Val… It's me, Matt. Max and Gab are here too,"

Val stirred as her blue eyes fluttered open.

Matt could feel a smile spreading across his face, "Hey, soldier. How are you feeling?" He pushed her gently back down as she tried to sit up.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, I can sit up," Val answered, pushing herself back up. This time, he did not stop her. Turning around, she spotted Max, Gab, Kelpy and Fye, "Hey guys!" she greeted with a smile. Then a worried frown marring her face as she saw Fye, she asked, "How's she?"

At the same time, Matt looked at Max and Gab questioningly. They shook their heads as they caught the look Matt gave them.

They had tried to wake her as Matt did with Val. They were not surprised when Fye did not respond. Her injuries were much more extensive than Val's. It appeared that those who conducted their experiments did not have time to get to Val before Unit 4 took them down.

"So what happened?" Gab asked, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.

Val shuddered before answering, recalling the nightmare she was forced through, "We got trapped and couldn't escape. Then they smoked the room. Next thing we knew, we were in the labs. Those people are sick! I thought the lab techs here were bad, but what thing these people did to her was worse. They were slowly slicing her up. Taking samples, they said," she said, her disgust evident, "I hope she's okay," Her eyes landed on the girl in the bed adjacent to her own.

"Well, at least you seem okay now," Max said, "When we went in, the soldiers we were fighting were not what we would consider normal. They don't seem to feel anything,"

Suddenly, the monitor next to Fye started blinking rapidly. A second later, it started emitting a loud pulsing noise. Jumping up at the sound, the four transgenics whipped towards their friend, eyes wide. Max grasped the nearest thing to her side; Gab's hand. Gab barely felt the pain in his hand which was in Max's tight grip as he gazed at the straight, flat line on the monitor.

"No…" Max choked out in fear.

* * *

**t.b.c. **(-:laughs:- Cliffhangers are back!)

A/N: Yep, the vote for 'Yes' to cliffhangers exceeded the 'No's, hence (yay!) it's back! But since the results were so close, I won't do it as often -:grins:-. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of this chapter.

A/N: Please check out Calistra's new fic 'Who loves the teacher'. Give it a shot!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Gee, what have I done in the last chapter? Hehe, my number of hits plummeted! So grateful to you guys who stuck by me with this long-winded story. Thanks!

**Kungfuchick **– Thanks for reviewing! Hmm…I have no idea how old is he, but I would guess about a few years older than Max? Maybe around 20?

**Mel11** – Thanks for your review. Erm…about Fye…Argh! You got to read to find out. I can't tell you. Hope you enjoy this chappie anyway!

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Hey, thanks for your review. About Fye…Ahem, anyway, I had a look at the fic, but then I realized that it's a bit difficult to follow because I have not watched a single episode of BTVS. I'll read it after I get hold of some BTVS so that at least I know who's who! Lol!

**Black Lion (anon)** – Glad you like it. Thanks for reviewing!

**Iridescent Twilight** – See? Threats again! This time really scary ones -:shudders:- SPIDERS in my ears? Woman, that's sick! How do you think this up is beyond me! Your poor sister! And of course I brought back the cliffies! I was dying of withdrawal!

**Sarah (anon)** – So I take your words as approval for cliffhangers then -:grins:- Max's siblings will come on and off, because I suddenly realized just how many characters I've got in this fic -:groans:- But I know what you mean, the sibling relations were brushed over most of the time.

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Thanks for reviewing. Me? Evil? Surely not! Lol! Ah…hehe! I did write 3 years, lol! The hair incident happened just as she met her new friends, so its almost 3 years. Yeah, the truce. I was trying very hard not to make them bicker, otherwise it will be all-out war again, hence no truce!

**Kelzaa **– Majority voted cliffhangers, lol! Though it was a close one; 10 voted yes and 7 voted No. Sorry! Promise I will not do the same cliffies again, -:grins:- Thanks for your review.

**NoAngell **– Thanks for reviewing. Ah, Max could blush, especially faced with someone so cute, lol! Glad you loved the cliffhanger.

**Toniboo **– Thanks for reviewing. I have updated soon, I think! Need some time to write this and the other fic too! -:grins:- Anyway, this chappie will put you all out of your misery with regards to Fye…

**Calistra **– Civility between Max and 494…Now just how long it will last, I wonder. Thanks for your review. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**HoneyX5-452** – You know, it suddenly occurred to me today that you haven't mentioned a word about the length my fic for weeks! Lol! Glad you like the fic, though. Thanks for reviewing.

**Cora (anon)** – Ha! I knew it! More cliffhangers supporters! -:grins:- Why Fye? I have my reasons…(I think!) Thanks for reviewing.

**Gamegirl452 **– Thanks for your review. The main plot is still plodding along. You'll be getting hints here and there, but I hope it's not too vague, lol! As for Fye, you'll have to read and see. I still haven't seen F4 yet. Need to find the time!

**GiRl MaGe** – Thanks for reviewing. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Alana84 – The 200th reviewer for Retrieved!** Congratulations! -:grins:- Glad you like the Max/Alec so called truce. As for Fye…I can't say! Thanks for reviewing!

Happy Reading!

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 16 – Sign of Affection**

(by elle6778)

Suddenly, the monitor next to Fye started blinking rapidly. A second later, it started emitting a loud pulsing noise. Jumping up at the sound, the four transgenics whipped towards their friend, eyes wide. Max grasped the nearest thing to her side; Gab's hand. Gab barely felt the pain in his hand which was in Max's tight grip as he gazed at the straight, flat line on the monitor.

"No…" Max choked out in fear.

Almost instantly, they heard sounds footsteps pounding out in the hallway, growing louder by the second. The transgenics did not know what to do; to run and hide or stay to find out if Fye was alright. Matt told himself not to panic, but it was not working. They were trapped in here and Fye was in trouble.

The door slammed open revealing a nurse and a guard. Lydecker followed a scant minute behind them. He stopped short as he realised that there were another three unauthorised transgenics inside that room. He raised his eyebrows as he registered their identity; Max, 547 and 481. _Why am I not surprised_, he thought without amusement. The situation was too grim for amusement.

Lydecker was surprised to see the three of them there, but he decided not to say anything for the moment. He would deal with them later. Instead, he focussed on the dark hair oriental transgenic lying still on the bed, his worry barely concealed. The nurses and doctors were working on her. Lydecker hoped that she would be alright. They cannot afford to lose a CO like her, not to mention the emotional trauma on the rest of his kids. It would affect all the work he had done recently attempting to gain their trust.

Kelpy had managed to slip out undetected in the commotion. That was fortunate as none of the transgenic knew what would happen if Lydecker caught Kelpy. Kelpy was supposed to be locked-up in the basement. Not wandering about freely in the med bay, not to mention the rest of the facility.

Gab and Matt tried to do the same, but the look on Lydecker's face told them to stay put. So Matt and Gab remained rooted on the spot, trying hard to suppress their nervousness. Although Lydecker had treated them better than usual recently, that did not automatically mean that he will be lenient at finding them in a restricted area in the middle of the night.

The doctor turned to say something to Lydecker. Lydecker, whoappearednot to be too happy with his report, answered tersely, "Try harder, doctor," His eyes bore into the doctor's in a way which made the doctor turn back to Fye in mere seconds.

Max has not moved since the awful sound started. Max did not even notice Lydecker's presence. She just stood frozen as her eyes took in the efficient moves the nurses and doctors were making. They were trying to resuscitate Fye. Max willed the machine to start beeping. The machine continued to emit a long continuous sound, the sound often associated with death. She did not feel Gab's hand as he tried to pull her to the side.

Noticing Max's non-reaction to Gab, Lydecker stepped closer to her and snapped, "452! Pull yourself together,"

Startled, Max blinked, finally registering Lydecker's presence. Giving Lydecker a pleading look, she said, "Please, bring her back! You can't let her die!" She knew that she was bordering on being insubordinate, but frankly, she did not care right then. Lydecker was the only one there who had the authority to do something.

Hearing the desperation in her voice, Lydecker rubbed his forehead and sighed, "We'll do what we can. But it doesn't look good right now," He had hoped that 735 would make a complete recovery. However, he knew that the probability of her surviving was close to none.

Although she almost expected him to say that, it did not make her feel better at all. She stood there, not knowing what she could do as her gaze remained on Fye's lifeless body.

Turning to Matt and Gab, Lydecker ordered, "Return to your dorms and bring 452 with you,"

"Yes, sir," Matt answered in a subdued tone. He was bombarded by feelings of surprise that Lydecker was letting them go without a single word of reprimand and feelings of sorrow at the lost of his CO. But he knew that he had to remain calm. Unit 4 needed him now. And they should be thankful that at least Val seemed to be fine.

Gab went to Max and held her arm gently, pulling her out of the room.

* * *

By the time they got back to their dorms, their unit mates were already awake, rushing about with their morning ritual. Ignoring the bustle around her, Max walk over numbly to her bed, followed close behind by Gab. Matt stood by the door, observing his unit mates while they bantered.

"Hey, where have you guys been? We are going to be late," Zip said, taking off his shirt to be exchanged for a clean one.

"How many times must I tell you, 612? Go change in the showers! We don't all need to see you like this every morning," Cass complained with a frown, but not before her eyes travelled appreciatively up and down his well-toned chest.

"It's not as if you haven't seen me naked before," Zip said, smirking. He noticed the direction of her gaze, but he decided not to say anything. At least not while they were in full view of the rest of unit 4.

"Yeah, it's okay when we are kids. Not after puberty!" Cass retorted, turning away from her smirking unit mate, grumbling under her breath.

Zip ignored her, turning his attention back to Matt, finally noticing the subdued look on his 2ICs face, "Hey, man…you alright?" he asked, concerned.

Matt knew he had to do it, but he did not want to. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he started, "We just came back from med bay,"

Matt suddenly found himself the focus of their attention as they dropped what they were doing to stare at him.

"Did you see 735 and 422?" Sandy asked, the expression on her face a mix of apprehension and anticipation.

Matt nodded. He tried to form the words but nothing came out, so he turned to Gab, knowing that Max was not exactly calm enough to break the news. She had not said a word since Gab dragged her out of the intensive care ward.

Gab took a deep breath and said, "Val seems fine, but when we left, Fye was in trouble,"

A gasp went around the room as the transgenics exchanged looks.

Treve stepped towards Gab, a worried frown etched on his forehead, "What do you mean, in trouble?"

"Lydecker said it doesn't look good," Gab answered, rubbing his face with his hands, "I think he meant that she was not going to make it. When we left, her heart stopped already,"

"No!" Shocked response came from the transgenics.

They stood there for a while, trying to absorb the news. This was by no means the first time something happened to one of their unit mates, but this was their CO. And it had been a long time since someone did not make it out of a mission alive.

"Lydecker was there? And you lot were not punished?" Sandy asked in surprise as what Gab's words registered belatedly.

Gab shrugged, "He must be too preoccupied with 735 to bother with us,"

The bell rang, telling them that it was time for breakfast. The transgenics headed out to the mess hall, each of them wearing a subdued mask.

* * *

"I'm pleased to see that things are going well," the visitor said to Lydecker, looking up from the mission report he had been perusing before Lydecker walked into the room.

"Yes. The away missions were a revelation for us. 452, 547, 481 and 494 excelled in the mission. We already know that 547, 481 and 494 have good potential, but 452 was full of surprises. She took the initiative in the first mission to rescue two other prisoners, which was outside of her mission parameters. And in the second mission, being suspicious of the enemy troop's abilities, she decided to capture two of them for Manticore to investigate," Lydecker said, almost proudly. He was impressed at how far Max had improved from being the transgenic with the least training and the worst record, to leading a strike team on a successful mission.

"Hmm… Yes, yes, she's not quite like most of the others," the visitor rubbed his chin thoughtfully, noticing Lydecker's expression of pride. He was relieved that 452 came back in one piece. She was one of the few which they could not afford to lose. "I read the mission reports and noticed an irregularity. The rescue mission was deployed with X6s as well as _anomalies?_ The X6s are only 10 years old. A bit young for away missions, don't you think? And the anomalies were not trained for such work,"

"The X6s were capable of the tasks set out in the mission objectives. There were no technical reasons why they could not have been deployed under X5 supervision. And the outcome of the mission confirmed it,"

Patiently, the visitor explained, "All I am saying is that I don't think we should be risking the prototypes unnecessarily. Why the sudden idea of sending them out anyway? You could have sent more X5s,"

"The reason we did not deploy more X5s was because they are much fewer in number, and we cannot risk losing any more. As it is, we have just lost 735 to the previous mission. Iam still trying something but it seemed to be hopeless for her. As for the X6s,they were designed to be faster and stronger than the X5s, although not as independent. And you might want to know that it was 452's idea. She thought that as they require additional manpower, why not the X6s. The X6s _were _created for numbers. And I agree with her."

The visitor chuckled, "So you are taking orders from 452 now? Tsk…tsk…Lydecker, you better watch it or she'll have you wrapped around her little finger,"

"I believe that that is not an appropriate comment, sir," Lydecker stiffened and frowned. Yes, for his own reasons he has a soft spot for 452. But that doesn't mean he would let her run circles round him.

The visitor nodded, "I apologise if I offended you. It was just a joke. I have full confidence in your professionalism, otherwise I wouldn't be here talking to you. I am intrigued by the use of the anomalies in the mission. I thought that the test results on this particular strain of X3s were not favourable?"

"I was under the impression that they were considered anomalies due to their size, and that they will not integrate easily into the normal society,"

The visitor nodded thoughtfully, "I see. I suppose this was another one of 452's ideas?" He smiled. 452 was definitely showing some promise.

Lydecker relaxed and nodded. He continued, "452 did mention something during the debriefing, though. She was wondering if there was any chance of re-assessing the so-called anomalies. Like the X3s in question, most of them were written off as anomalies based on appearance in the early days. That was when the main aim was to create transgenics which would fit in easily outside. As far as I am aware, there is no such re-assessment plan in the pipeline,"

The visitor stared at Lydecker as he considered the idea. Then he nodded, "Then we'll just start one. Should be a simple thing for the lab techs to work something up,"

"Very good, sir"

"So, apart from the missions, how are 452 and the rest of our escapees?"

"599 and 210 are still in the med bay. I allowed 452 to visit them couple of days ago. It seemed that they got into a spat about Manticore. It was captured on the surveillance footage,"

"Really? How so?" the visitor asked, intrigued.

"452 was trying to explain our side of things but 599 was unconvinced. 210 does not appear to be siding with either of them,"

"It's good that 452 understands our position. It is critical for the success of the Mission that the x-series stop treating us as the enemies. And if we have to change our approach to them, so be it,"

"Perhaps if you explain the Mission to us?"

"No. Its too soon. You will not understand. And they will not understand. We got carried away at the beginning, and we never got their trust," the visitor said in remorse, "All will be clear in good time. Just carry on as you were, and let me know of any developments, as per our agreement,"

Lydecker nodded, "Yes, sir," He started escorting the visitor out.

"Oh, another thing…" the visitor added, pausing at the door, "Since 452 is showing such promise, you should put her somewhere where her skills could be utilised better,"

Lydecker lips twitched uncharacteristically. _And he said she got me twisted around her little finger._

* * *

Max sat on the couch in the empty mess hall. Lights out was hours ago, so she sat alone in the darkness. She wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking herself. Ever since they found out that Fye did not make it this morning, she felt as if she was in some sort of daze. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts. There were too many people in the dorm and she did not feel like sitting in the gym because Gab and Matt would sure feel obligated to see if she was alright. They were also suffering, and she did not want to add to it.

Lydecker had cornered them in the mess hall before morning drill, shocking all of them with his presence. He had come to tell them about Fye. _At least Lydecker had the decency to tell us what happened this time_, she thought. Even though it was bad news.

She still couldn't believe Fye was gone. It all seemed so sudden. Lydecker said that her organs were to be harvested. Max shuddered at the word. And just as she got to know her CO as well.

Lost in her thoughts, she did not hear the footsteps until she saw a pair of boots beside her. She looked up and a scowl immediately graced her features.

494 was standing over her, a smirk firmly planted on his face.

"Go away, 494. I am in no mood to entertain you now," she said irritably, then pointedly looked the other way.

"And a good evening to you too, 452," he said, "I see that you are in your customary cheerful self,"

"I want to be alone," she said grumpily.

"I thought we agreed to a truce. And you look like you need someone to talk to right now," he said, sitting down beside her. He wondered what was it which upset her so much that she needed to hide in the mess hall by herself in the middle of the night.

Max ignored him.

"What's the matter?" he prodded gently. He knew instinctively that his usual sarcasm would not be welcomed this time. The girl looked positively depressed.

"Our CO didn't make it," she told him in an anguished tone.

494's heart constricted at the pain he heard in her voice. _735 did not make it?_

"Sorry to hear that. She was a good leader," he said sympathetically, remembering their mission together. She was a good CO, he admitted.

Max just nodded.

"Where's your sidekick?" he asked, looking around for 547. _Didn't he know better than to leave her alone at this sort of time? What kind of friend was he?_ 494 thought in annoyance.

"Who?" Max asked in confusion.

"547, your sidekick. You know, the one who always follows you around,"

"I know who is 547! And he's not my sidekick, you smart-ass!" Max snapped back, showing more life at that moment than she did for the past one day. 494 had always had the knack of riling her, truce or not.

"That's the spirit. I was beginning to miss the 452 I knew," he chuckled, happy that he had unwittingly snapped her out of her depression. Who would have thought that it was that easy? All he had to do was to annoy her further. The truce could wait.

"You never knew me, 494. You were too busy insulting me. Not that I really care what you say or do anyway," she said dismissively and went back to inspecting the floor.

494 clutched his hand to his chest, "And here I was, thinking that you care for me after what happened in the hallway,"

Max snorted, "You wish. You are a pain in the ass,"

"Smart-ass, pain in the ass. I am beginning to think that you have an obsession with my ass,"

"Don't kid yourself, 494. I have better things to think about than your ass," she sneered.

"Yeah? My ass is definitely prettier than the rest of the floor which you keep staring at. What are you looking for down there anyway?" he pretended to seem interested, prodding her foot with his.

Max gave him a withering look. She snapped, "Are you doing this on purpose or did Manticore splice the smart-aleck attitude into your DNA?

"Hmm…smart-aleck, huh? What happened to 'smart-ass'? I am hurt that your obsession with the certain part of my anatomy only lasted such a short time," 494 smirked, "But I guess 'smart-aleck' is also acceptable"

"Fine, then that shall be your nickname from now, Smart-Aleck!" Max retorted.

"Hmm…and 'Alec' actually sounds quite good. I think I can live with that. You know, 452. Bestowing a nickname on a person is a sign of affection. Are you trying to tell me that you are actually _fond_ of me? Or maybe even _like_ me? That's a definite improvement on our _relationship,_" 494 could not resist teasing her. He grinned cheekily as he waited for her to combust.

Max flushed as her irritation grew. Did he come here just to annoy her again? She bit out, "Dream on, 494! We have no relationship to speak off,"

"Call me Alec, and I'll call you Max. After all, if you have these feeling for me, I cannot keep calling you an impersonal designation, can I?" 494 said, grinning. He was enjoying the look on her face.

Moving closer to him, Max hissed "You are right. I do have feelings for you. It is called irritation. Go away and leave me in peace, _Alec!_" Straight into his face. Brown eyes and hazel eyes clashed in a battle of glares. One pair furious, one pair laughing.

"No so fast. I'll leave soon, but you still owe me something," he said with a mischievous grin. He knew he was going to regret this. Hopefully he would manage to get out of it alive.

"Huh?" Max looked at him questioningly. _What do I owe him,_ she wondered. _What was he up to now?_ She suddenly noticed how good he looked when he grinned. _Made him look almost…sexy,_ she thought. _What! I can't believe I just thought that!_ She scowled at herself.

"Payment for saving your life," he reminded her.

Max's eyes widened as she finally comprehended his words, "What?" _He can't really mean that…_

"The kiss, Max. For your gallant knight in shining armor," Alec said, grinning.

"You are seriously deluded if you think I am going to kiss you, 494" Max said as she stared disbelievingly at him.

"Oh? You did not seem to protest this much the last time," he said meaningfully, and then added, "And it's Alec now, not 494,"

Max knew exactly what he was referring to, "I was in heat, you smart-ass! As if you don't know," she said, looking away to cover the blush that seemed to appear every time she thought about that incident more than a year ago.

"Oh, come on. Just a small tiny kiss, and I will not mention it again," he coaxed with a cheeky twinkle in his eyes, "And it's hardly our first kiss, so don't be shy,"

Max gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fists to stop herself from doing something she may regret later, "No," she said resolutely. She turned away; refused to let him see how much he was affecting her with his words and the expression of his face. She could not believe how cute he looked with that cheeky expression.

"Why?" he asked, eyes open wide in an imitation of innocence.

She stared at him incredulously, "Why?" she parroted, "Just because you decided to save my life, that doesn't automatically mean I have to kiss you!" _I am going to kill Gab for this_, she vowed as she recalled what Gab's big mouth had said in the SUV. Gab was going to be so sorry he opened his mouth that day, she thought vindictively. Of all things; to kiss 49-…Alec. The thought suddenly made her feel warm, as she remembered what it felt like. She quickly suppressed the feeling.

"It's really not that big a deal, right? Or are you scared that you might enjoy it too much?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows comically, "Oh, come on, Max. You are hurting me. Makes me think that you don't like me," he said as his face twisted into a mournful look.

Max could not help herself. She laughed both at the look on his face and also to cover the discomfort she felt at his words, "You got a problem with your self-worth or something?" she said.

"With the things you say sometimes, anyone would have that problem. Well, apart from me, of course. But I'm just guessing that you are scared," he challenged.

"Of what?" she hedged, looking away. She wouldn't allow him to see that he had hit a nerve.

"Kissing me," Alec said as he shifted so that they were only inches apart.

"Oh, get off it, Alec. That's enough. It is not funny anymore. I…" Max said, her voice faltering as she looked up at him.

He was too close, Max registered as she looked into his hazel eyes. And it was moving closer. Max gulped. She had her hands on his chest but she was not actually pushing him away. Her eyes travelled to his lips; they looked so soft and inviting. And it was rapidly descending towards her own parted lips.

Alec thought he was going to drown in those liquid brown pools of eyes. His heart thudded as he lowered his lips slowly...

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: -!Ducks:- I know, I know…you all want to kill me for this! Hey, at least 494 got his name at long last! Lol! Please review and let me know if you liked the chapter. Thanks!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: The hits went back up again, thank goodness! Actually, thank YOU for reading and reviewing this, lol! We are more than halfway through the story now, you'll be glad to hear!

**Calistra** – Thanks for reviewing. -:Sigh:- I think I like Alec too much to get him kneed in the groin, lol!

**Mel11** - -:Smiles sheepishly:- Sorry about Fye! Yep! Alec and Max just about to kiss, but will they? -:grins:- Thanks for your review.

**Angel of Darkness231** – LOL! Me, evil? -:blinks innocently:- Haha! You kept Alec UNDER your bed? I would have thought he would be put to better use ON your bed! Okay, okay, I'll stop making dodgy insinuations. And hey! Where are your updates? Thanks for your review.

**HoneyX5-452** – Yeah, I thought it's about time he got his name! Obsession with Alec's ass? Of course! Who's doesn't, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for reviewing. Now WHY would I interrupt their kiss -:grins evilly:-

**Ro (anon)** – Thanks for your review. Me, cruel? -:sighs sadly:- I really didn't mean to do it, it's reflex, lol!

**Cora (anon)** – Okay, I shall take your words as a compliment, lol! Thanks! I do try to get the cliffies in! -:grins:- Sorry about Fye…

**GiRl MaGe** – Thanks for your review and glad you liked the story. Read your fic, btw. Really interesting way of writing.

**Pixiedust13** – Thanks for reviewing. Glad you found it exciting; it must be the kiss, right! Read on and tell if you liked this chapter.

**Angelofdarkness78 **- -:Sigh:- Not sure about bringing Fye back yet, but we'll see! Hope you have a good vacation, let me know how it went (me nosy as usual!). As for BTVS, I don't even know who's who, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Gamegirl452** – lol! Sorry, I can't help myself with the cliffies! Nah, Lydecker won't put Max away from Alec. It is hard enough right now to bring them together without Max trying to pound him to a pulp, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Amelya **– No, no! I am not evil! -:maniacal cackle:- Ahem, anyways! Yep, you are right, secrets are slowly being unveiled. Funny you should mention the baddie, you must have read my mind; they are coming up! Thanks for your review.

**EnIgMa (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing, lol and thanks for your blessing! I am also relieved that he finally got his name -:phew:- don't need to type numbers anymore!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Morbid and weird? What else you expect her to say after what you told her! -:shudders:- Woman, you ARE scary. So glad you are on the other side of …err…the screen! Okay, okay! No more cliffies! (And you actually believe me?) And keep those damned spiders away from me! Lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Claire (anon)** – Can't believe you read it all in one go, lol! Must have taken some time! New chappie is here now so enjoy! Thanks for reviewing.

**Jessica (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked the fic and yes, I do generally update every 4-5 days, so you'll have a steady supply, lol!

**W1cked angel** – Nah, Gab is not THAT well timed! lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Sarah (anon)** - -:Sigh:- You guys are so suspicious of me! What did I ever do! Lol! I don't know why I made him insist on being called Alec, but it felt right! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing.

**Toniboo** – Hey, hope you have a good week. I need to update this week because I am going away soon as well! But at least you will have 2 chapters to read all at once! Hope you like this chapter, and thanks for reviewing.

**Alana84** – Ah…the wonders of cliffies! Hehe! Yep, I thought his name was way overdue, lol! Sorry about Fye, though. Glad you liked my fics. Thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie **– How was your vacation? Good? And what's wrong with stopping there? Lol! At least next chappie is up now; you got good timing! -:grins:- Thanks for reviewing!

Moving on with the story…

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 17 – Revelations**

(by elle6778)

Alec thought he was going to drown in those liquid brown pools of eyes. His heart thudded as he lowered his lips slowly.

Max let her eyes flutter shut as Alec's lips gradually descended towards her. For some reason, she felt paralysed. She knew she had to move away, but her limbs refused to obey her wishes. So she remained immobile.

His heart swelled as he finally touched her lips with his. _It is so soft, _he thought, caught in a bit of a daze, nibbling her lips. He could feel himself growing warmer as he tried to deepen the kiss. It was a long time since he last touched her this way, but the feeling was different this time. This time, without their raging hormones affecting them, he could feel everything about her just simply by touching her lips with his.

_-SMACK!-_

The sharp contact from her hand made his head snap to the side, rudely awakening him from his delirium. _Damn, that stung, _he swore inwardly while flicking a resentful glance at Max.

"Don't do that again, 494," she hissed, her face flushed. _I could not believe I just sat there letting him maul me_, she thought irrationally, completely ignoring the fact that she responded fully to the mind-blowing kiss. Pushing herself off the floor, she stomped away.

"It's Alec now," he muttered, watching her retreating figure. He suppressed the urge to run after her.

Alec sighed. So much for a truce.

It was lovely while it lasted.

* * *

The visitor sat down in front of Lydecker, propping his cane against the side of the couch. This was the second time he visited the facility in just as many months.

"So, I take it you heard about Renfro," he asked, facing Lydecker with a grim look. The latest incident with Renfro shook him considerably.

Lydecker nodded. He wore a frown on his face when he said, "It was unfortunate. Did we manage to track down who was responsible?" The news came as a bit of a shock to him. Much as he disliked Renfro, he would not have wished her that sort of fate.

The visitor shook his head, "No. There was no evidence or witnesses, though I have a good idea who may have done it," he said thoughtfully.

"Who?" Lydecker voiced the question in his mind aloud.

"I'll let you know when I am sure. It was a clean operation, so it was definitely a professional,"

"I thought Renfro was heavily guarded," Lydecker said.

"Only while she is in Manticore. Outside, we don't have the resources to keep an eye on her," the visitor said regretfully. Renfro had been useful to him for many years and would have continued to be so, if she had not met with the unfortunate 'accident'. The visitor wanted to snort. Accident was definitely not the cause of her death. He had his suspicions of who the assassin may have been, but he needed to confirm that with someone first. Nothing would come out of pointing fingers without any solid evidence to back it up. For all he knew, Renfro might have pissed someone else off in a matter completely unrelated to Manticore.

Unaware of the visitor's thoughts, Lydecker went on, "I don't understand what they stand to gain by killing Renfro. Kidnapping her would probably be more beneficial, I would have thought,"

The visitor sighed, "I think it is to do with what she knew. They did not want her to talk. The same for me, that's why I tend to keep a low profile,"

"You think they might be after you next?" he asked, worried. Manticore cannot afford to lose him; he was the backbone of the entire operation, pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"I know they will be after me next, Deck. The question is, will they succeed?"

"We need to get you some bodyguards," Lydecker stated. He started to think of who may be suitable.

"Who do you have in mind, Deck?"

"I think the X6s would be perfect. Two of them could pose as your grandchildren. No one would suspect anything,"

"They need to grow some hair first, especially if they were girls," the visitor said, chuckling. He continued, "Alright, could you arrange it then?"

"I will. After the success of the last mission, I am planning something for those kids. Here's the file with the initial proposals. I take it you need to run it though the formal approval process, as usual," Lydecker said as passed a file to the visitor.

The visitor nodded in agreement, taking the file but did not make any attempt to open it. He had always trusted Lydecker's judgement and he would continue to do so. "That actually brings me to another issue, which probably mean that you could go through with your plans sooner,"

"Sir?"

"Now that Renfro is gone, it has been proposed that you should take her place as a director. Gives you more power to do what needed to be done. Provided you accept the offer, of course. Needless to say, it comes with a whole lot more responsibility,"

It was a minute or two before Lydecker found his voice, "Sir, are you sure about this? I thought the committee wasn't too pleased with my record,"

The visitor smiled, "I took some liberties in…disposing…some of those who were not so agreeable. You don't need to worry, Lydecker. Now that Renfro is not here, I will need someone to keep an eye on what's going on. It is important that we keep to the plan,"

Lydecker frowned. He wanted to ask for more explanation, more detail, but from past experiences, he knew that it was going to be futile. The visitor never let out more than was absolutely necessary. The more people knew about it, the higher the risk.

_Come to think of it, that was probably how Renfro got herself killed._

* * *

511 found out that 494 had a name purely by accident. He was walking with his CO back from the Supplies block when he bumped into someone. He reached out and held her steady, noticing that it was 452.

"Hey, 452," 511 greeted cheerfully, genuinely happy to see her. He had not had a chance to catch up with her since the last time they went on the mission.

Alec was about to follow his friend, but held himself back. He had not spoken to Max since that night one month ago in the mess hall, and he did not know what to expect after that incident. Knowing what she was like, he doubted that she would want to speak to him after that.

True enough, Max ignored Alec completely, giving 511 a smile, "Hi yourself, 511. Haven't seen you for some time. How are things going?"

511 shrugged and grinned, "Same as always. Crap training, crap food and crap CO. Good thing that there are people like yourself around to brighten my day," he glanced to the side to see said CO glaring at him. 511 smirked.

Max laughed, shaking her head, "You are terrible, you know that?" She forced herself to keep her attention on 511. She knew that if she turned to Alec now, she'd do something stupid.

Like blush.

"You love me, really," 511 said, waggling his eyebrows.

Not willing to be ignored any longer, Alec butted in, "Hey, guys, I am here you know?" he drawled to hide how disgruntled he felt at her dismissal.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there," Max said, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly. She deliberately shot him a disinterested glance.

"Gee, nice to know that you've missed me as much as you missed 511 here," Alec said sarcastically, feeling a bit put out at her treatment of him.

"Glad you noticed," Max replied sweetly, this time turning to face him. She squashed down the urge to look at his lips, not wanting to remember what happened that night. _Do NOT look! And don't you dare remember how it felt, Max!_ She stared at a point above his ears. She made a mental note to herself to sit down one day and analyse why she had such odd reaction to Alec. _It was just a kiss, for goodness's sakes, Max!_

Sensing the tension between Max and Alec, 511 decided to interrupt before a fight erupted between them, "I heard about your rescue mission. It went pretty well, right?" he said quickly.

Max's eyes clouded over as she thought of Fye, "Not as well as I like it to be," she said in a subdued tone.

Detecting the sudden dip in her mood, 511 laid an arm around her. He did not notice the irritated look on his CO's face. He asked softly, his eyes full of concern, "Hey, what's the matter? What did I say?" In the short time he knew her, 511 found that he liked her and he did not care much for the sad look on her face.

"Her CO didn't make it out of there," Alec said, noticing how difficult it was for Max to give the answer. _Must he put his arms around her?_ Alec fumed.

"Oh shit! 735? Damn!" 511 exclaimed, shocked. "Sorry, 452, I didn't know," he said, giving her a hug. Still oblivious to the murderous look in his CO's eyes.

"Thanks, 511. You are really sweet," Max said with a watery smile, somehow feeling better. She extracted herself from 511, noticing Alec out of the corner of her eyes.

511 grinned, "Always my pleasure,"

Alec wanted to gag. And maybe maim his 'friend', 511. But instead he smirked, "That was a really touching display, guys. I was almost crying there,"

Max swivelled to face him, irritated, "Do you always try your best to be a jerk, Alec?" she snapped.

"According to you, I am always a jerk anyway. So I am guessing that I don't even need to try; it just comes naturally," Alec retorted, irrationally glad that she was finally noticing his presence.

"You just don't know when to stop, do you?" Max spat

"What do you mean?" Alec asked, feigning ignorance, "Stop what?"

"I give up. I am going; got a mission to go to," Max said, turning to leave. She needed to get away from Alec, at least until she figured out what was wrong with herself. And anyway, she told them the truth. She was on her way to the Supplies block to get some gear she needed for her mission. She was glad of the distraction of a mission. Staying in Manticore and thinking about Fye and Zack was slowly driving her insane. Not to mention Alec.

511 blocked her playfully, "Not so fast, sweetheart. What mission?" he asked curiously as her words registered.

"Just to collect something which belonged to Manticore," Max answered simply, then she said, "See you later 511," She gave 511 a small wave and disappeared around the corner.

"Alec?" 511 questioned curiously, raising his eyebrow at his CO.

"Yeah, she kind of named me," Alec said sheepishly. He did not really want to go into the details.

511 sensed it and left it at that. Instead, he asked, "What's up with you and her anyway? I swear, you guys just argue all the time,"

"What! No, she just bugs me, that's all," Alec said dismissively, hoping that the other transgenic would drop it.

"You know, I thought 480 has gone mad when he said something to me years ago. But now I see where he's coming from," 511 said thoughtfully

"Huh?" Alec's face twisted in confusion as he tried to think of what 480 might have said.

"Nevermind," 511 said, brushing the question away. He did not want to be on the receiving end of his CO's fist. 480 had told him that their CO always seemed to behave a bit out of character whenever 452 was around. Quickly changing the topic to a safer one, he said, "So, do I get one as well?"

"What?"

"A name, of course," 511 said, rolling his eyes as if the question was that obvious.

Laughing, they decided that he should be called Biggs, as it was appropriate for his…er…generous bit of anatomy.

* * *

He sat in the musty smelling café waiting for the other man to turn up. It was getting dark; he was late. Glancing impatiently at his watch, he looked up again to find that he was still the sole customer in there.

_This is a waste of my time,_ he thought irritably.

Just as he got up to leave, the other man finally turned up.

"You are late," he stated, trying not to show his irritation. He needed the other man's contacts, and it would not do to alienate him now.

The other man just raised a dismissive eyebrow and proceeded to sit down across him. In his expensive suit, he looked out of place in the dingy café. He scanned the place with his sharp eyes. Obviously satisfied that they were not being spied on, the other man turned his gaze back towards him.

He waited expectantly for the other man to speak but the other man remained silent. Tired of waiting, he asked impatiently, "You got the information?"

"Yes," the other man said simply, pushing a disk across the table. He leaned back against the chair with an air of arrogance.

"This is all you got?" he asked with a frown, obviously not impressed. He did not know what he expected, but definitely not just a disk. After all, it took him such a long time to track down someone who knew about Manticore and its operations.

The other man smiled condescendingly, "That disk is worth more than you ever know. But it obviously does not contain everything you want; I kept some to myself. You have yet to fulfil your side of the bargain. I have done my part, and now it's your turn. You'll not get anything else until you tell me what I need to know,"

He nodded, feeling slightly nervous at the look the other man gave him. It was not just his condescending tone; it was also the cold look in the other man's eyes. He wondered not for the first time if he was doing the right thing by trusting this stranger.

"I'm working on it," he said. He was beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. When the other man approached him one day with an offer to trade, he could not resist. He jumped at the other man's offer, but now he was starting to feel apprehensive.

"I expect to see something the next time we meet. Take the disk as…a gesture of goodwill, if you like," the other man said, flashing another cold smile. He got up gracefully from the chair and walked out.

"Sure," he said, watching the other man leave. He exhaled the breath he did not realise he was holding.

* * *

Max never thought that she would feel this way; that she would find herself enjoying missions. The missions broke the monotony of her daily training and gave her the adrenaline rush which she craved. She thought back to the last mission she went to. It was a simple assignment compared to what she had gone through before with her entire unit. This time they just had to break into an apartment and retrieved something which belonged to Manticore. Max created a diversion by setting off a false fire alarm and Sandy went in to collect what they came for. They were in and out in less than an hour, with the disk in hand.

Max sighed at the thought. Few months had passed now without a sign of any missions, and she was getting restless. She used to think that Val was out of her mind when she told her that she craved missions. Now she knew what Val was talking about.

At the moment, Max together with the rest of Unit 4 were in the library, studying for their upcoming test on strategy and tactical operations. They were the only ones in the library bar the lone X6 who was confined there as a punishment.

Max was bored. Her unit mates had their noses buried in their books, almost literally. She looked up, wondering what she could do to liven up the atmosphere. Looking down at her notepad, an idea suddenly presented itself. She grinned. Quickly and quietly, she prepared the necessary tools, paper strips and her hair ties. Grinning wide, she aimed.

"OWW! What the-" Matt yelled out, his eyes darting around to find the source of the paper bullet hitting his head. He rubbed his head gingerly.

At his sudden outburst, the rest of unit 4 looked at him questioningly. Max clenched her weapon in her fists, keeping it hidden out of sight.

Having no luck in spotting his tormentor, Matt grumbled and resumed his revision.

-_POP_-

"OUCH!" Another bullet, this time hitting Gab. Gab eyed Max suspiciously, noting the innocent look in her face. She shrugged at him. He too, resumed his studies after a minute or so of glaring suspiciously around.

_-POP-_

-_SMACK_-

This time, Gab caught the bullet in his hand, glaring at…

"_MAX!"_ he hissed in annoyance.

Unit 4 looked up with questioning eyes. Gab glanced at Max, mouthing _Oops!_

"Who's Max?" Cass asked curiously.

Max looked at the baby of the unit, and said "That's my name,"

Now she really got the attention of the entire unit. Face alight with curiosity, they all looked at Max with a questioning look.

"Really… where did you get it from?" 401 asked

"In my old unit, we called each other names. My CO named me. I'm not the only one here. All of you have names too. Well…You have names in my mind, anyway!" Max said sheepishly, noticing that the rest of the unit, minus Gab and Matt, were looking at her intently.

"What did you call me?" 612, the blonde haired Caucasian transgenic asked in anticipation.

"You are Zip, for the time you caught yourself in the zipper!" she said to 612. A ripple of laughter went round the table. He rolled his eyes, muttering, "Like I need to be reminded of that every day,"

"You are Speed, no need to explain why!" she said, turning to 564, the dark haired Middle Eastern looking transgenic.

Turning to 312, the brown haired exotic looking girl with indefinable origins, she said "The incident after the desert assault course stuck in my head. You know, when you trailed sand all over from the course to our dorm? So I called you Sandy,"

"Thanks, I like it. Better than Zip!" Sandy laughed, earning a swat on the arm from Zip.

"And you, 401…" Gab started…

"No, stop right there. I am quite capable of naming myself. I won't have you guys giving me weird names," 401 interrupted. He grinned, "You can call me Blade. After the pre-pulse show,"

They laughed.

"You haven't finished. What about the rest?" Zip said, pointing to the other four transgenics.

"Oh, they already have names. Guys, you want to tell them?"

"I'm Gab and 481 is Matt" Gab explained, throwing a sideways glance at Matt.

A slight pause as Treve regarded Max, then looking at the rest of them Treve said, "I don't even want to know how Max found out I've got a name. Mine's Treve. And I guess if my name is out, then 332's should be as well. 332's Cass"

"And I am Val," Val said. She was released from the medical bay after being given a clean bill of health a couple of weeks after Lydecker caught Matt, Gab and Max in the intensive care ward. Matt was delirious with joy at her return, and so were the rest of the unit. But they still felt Fye's absence.

"Never knew that we could ever have names like this. That's great," Sandy exclaimed happily, almost bouncing off her chair.

Blade leaned back against his chair, tilting it on two legs, "Any excuse to distract ourselves from tactics," he said, yawning.

"Stop that! You're going to fall over," Cass admonished, yanking Blade back down.

"Alright, guys. Now that we have all broken the Manticore's unspoken rule about names and designations, could we get back to revising for this blasted test we are having tomorrow?" Gab asked grumpily, turning his attention back to the book in front of him.

Nine groans filled the air as the transgenics followed Gab's lead and buried their heads back into the books.

An hour later, Max started twitching in boredom again. She leaned her head against the table, slowly banging her forehead.

_-THUD-THUD-THUD-_

"Argh! Stop it! You are driving me nuts!" Gab complained, glaring at her. He wished Max would keep still. She was too distracting.

"Sorry…" Max muttered. What could she do, she was bored! She let herself slump over her book.

Hearing the library door open, she looked up. So did the rest of unit 4. A guard marched in towards them. _What now?_ Max wondered.

"X5-481 and X5-452, Colonel Lydecker wants to see you. Now, in his office," he said.

When the guard turned his back, expecting them to follow, Max and Matt exchanged a questioning gaze and shrugged. They followed the guards out.

* * *

When they arrived at Lydecker's office, they found the room already filled to the brim with other transgenics. X4-43 from unit 1, Jace from Unit 3, X5-204 from unit 5 and Alec from Unit 6. There was also one each from Desert, Arctic, Psy-Ops, Battle Processor Units, Underwater Ops in their water suits and some other divisions Max did not recognise.

_Looks like a gathering of Commanding Officers for each unit or division.. Matt's here because he's taking Fye place. But whatam I doing here? It cannot possibly be as the representative for the '09-ers division, can it? Lydecker does not have that weird a sense of humour! _She thought mirthlessly. She and Matt stood at attention with the rest of the transgenics. As the room was small, they were rather crowded and she could feel her arm almost touching Alec's. Max willed herself not to fidget as she felt the heat radiating off his skin.

Alec glanced out of the corner of his eyes at Max, slightly confused. _What was she doing here?_ _481 was the acting CO of her unit, so what about her? The 09-er's unit? _She was standing so close that his arm nearest to her started breaking out in goosebumps. Alec resisted the urge to move even closer to rub against her. He had tried to get close to her since that night in the mess hall, but she always managed to elude him.

"At ease, soldiers," Lydecker said.

"I have called you here as the CO of your units or divisions to inform you of certain… developments," Lydecker started. He looked at their blank expressions, courtesy of their training since childhood. He noticed a flicker in Max's eyes and raised his eyebrows in question, "You got something to say, 452?"

"Sir, based on what you just told us, I believe that it may not be appropriate for me to be present," Max said in a respectful tone.

"And why is that, 452?"

Max looked at him in bafflement, "Sir? I am not the CO of any units or divisions,"

"Ah! 452, we may have been negligent in informing you of this development. Rest assured, you are meant to be here," he said, knowing fully well that it was not negligence that was the cause of Max's ignorance.

"You were recently chosen as a CO,"

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: See? No cliffie. I tried this time -:grins:- So means you will keep on reading and reviewing right? -:grins:- Please review, I love reading them.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing guys. It's very interesting to see your thoughts on Max being a CO… Read on to find out what actually happened! Enjoy!

**Angel of Darkness231** – Yeah, it could be quite a pain when computers malfunction! Hehe! The shock scene wasn't that bad, was it? Thanks for reviewing.

**Calistra** – Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, Max a new CO. Hmm… overall CO? I don't know…Hehe!

**Mel11 **– Thanks for your review. Yeah, you didn't think Max would let Alec off so lightly after kissing her senseless, did you? And that's NOT a cliffie, lol!

**Kungfuchick** – I am glad you missed the cliffies…me too. But I decided to spread it out a bit! -:sigh:- Yep, Max and Alec's gonna have a tough time getting together, but it shouldn't be too long now. The guy with the cane was pretty obvious, wasn't it, hehe! Must try harder next time to be more vague! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kelzaa** – Oh! I don't think Biggs is falling for Max. He's just naturally flirtatious; he's not even doing in on purpose! -:grins:- Thanks for your review.

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Happy Birthday! You're really 13? No kidding! Yeah, I know what you mean by the designation. I had to refer to my notes like in every chapter, lol! Good luck naming them, but I am sure you'll do great! Thanks for reviewing.

**Iridescent Twilight** – Me? Lie? Of course not! That was NOT a cliffie, hehe! I can't believe you admitted that you're morbid and weird! And proud as well, lol! Argh! Keep the damned spiders away! Okay, okay…no more cliffies -:grins:- for now…

**Lotamoxie** – Hmmm…eventful vacation. That sounds verrryyy interesting, lol! -:grins:- Do tell! Nope, Max is not the CO of unit 4 or for the '09ers. Read on and tell me if it's believable or not! Thanks for reviewing.

**Lady marauder (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. Glad you like the story and its ending. More to come! Read on!

**HeLrAiSeR32 **– Darn! Hard convince people here that THAT's not a cliffie, lol! Thanks for the award!

**Gamegirl452** – Happy Belated Birthday! Gee, you are going to give me a swollen head with your words, lol! Yep, Alec is falling for Max and Max is still (surprise, surprise!) quite clueless! Thanks for your review!

**Alana84** – Ah, Alec was a bit too distracted to think of the consequences of his actions, lol! Glad you liked the Max/Alec/Biggs scene…I think I like Alec being jealous! The other need to have names because I am getting tired of remembering numbers, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Claire (anon)** – Thanks for reviewing. I'm happy that you think that it's a good fic! Not putting Alec in her group, you'll be pleased to hear. You're right; it will be wrong!

**NoAngell **– Thanks for reviewing. Lydecker have some plans for them, you'll see soon -:grins:- Max being CO is so that I can confuse the story even more -:groans:-

**Shygirl1** – Glad you liked it and found it interesting. Thanks for your review. :)

**Sarah (anon)** – I'm known for mean cliffhangers! Of course not! -:laughs:- She's not the 2IC, that part of the story can't seem to fit in just yet. CO of the '09ers? Zack would be a handful! Yeah, I thought it's time to give Max a reminder of Alec's lips, lol! I didn't make Gab walk in cause I thought the slap would work better! Thanks for reviewing.

**EnIgMa (anon)** – I am glad that you agree with me that the cliffies aren't that bad! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Pixiedust13** – Thanks for reviewing. I know what you mean about reviews. I feel very stilted when I try to write one, even when I thoroughly enjoyed the fic! I am glad you liked what happened in the chapter. Hope you'll like this one too!

**Eva (anon)** – You're back! How's the holidays? Thanks for your review.

**GiRl MaGe** – Don't have to wait much longer! Next chappie is here. Thanks for reviewing.

**L80bug** – Thanks for your review. Read on and tell me what you think!

_Dedicated to** Angelofdarkness78 **and** Gamegirl452 **for their Birthdays! Happy Birthday!_

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 18 – Revelations II**

(by elle6778)

"You were recently chosen as a CO," Lydecker told her simply, watching the surprise flash over her eyes before Max quickly adopted the blank mask again.

"W-what do you mean? CO of what?" she asked somewhat unsteadily, trying hard to remain calm.

"We decided that the X6s needed some guidance from someone who would understand them," Lydecker answered, managing to keep his face straight. He wanted to laugh the look on all their faces, but that would not be professional.

If the training was not so well ingrained in her, Max would have let her jaw drop at that. _CO of the X6s?_ She thought in stupefaction. Max could hardly believe what she was hearing. She was the CO of the X6s? How did that happen? There were at least forty or fifty X6s. How in the world was she going to command the X6s? There were so many of them!

Next to Max, Alec had the same thoughts. He darted a quick look at Max. How did an 09-er end up being the CO of one of the largest divisions in Manticore? Granted, it the X6s were kids, but they were reputed to be better designed than the X5s. After all, they were the next series up from the X5s.

_Well, Manticore must have thought it through before deciding on her, so there must be a good reason,_ Alec concluded in his head.

Lydecker gave them a moment to absorb the news. He had left it until now to inform Max on purpose, so that she couldn't ask too many questions. Then he spoke, "Well, now that that's clear, let move on to the real reason for this meeting,"

"The reason you are here is so that we can discuss two issues. First issue is to do with the way you work. Up to a week ago, Xs kept to their own in their missions. They were never deployed together with another strain of transgenics or a different X-series. Last week, we deployed two mixed teams of X3s, X5s and X6s, led by X5-452 and X5-481. The mission was successful. Based on this, we feel that in the future, we should experiment integrating the different series. We need to explore the feasibility of this proposal further, hence this introductory meeting," Lydecker said.

Max and Matt exchanged a quick glance, pleased that their mission was so successful such that Lydecker had decided to use it as an example.

However, the transgenics did not know what to make of Lydecker's words. Manticore does not _explore _these issues with the transgenics. Manticore commanded. Transgenics carry out the instruction. End of story. No discussion required. So why the sudden change, they all thought, suspicious of the new development.

Lydecker could see the suspicion in some of the less well disguised expressions on the transgenics. He understood their feelings. This was an unexpected move for Manticore. But it needed to be done. Before it was too late. If they were surprised at the first item, they would be shocked at what he was about to say next.

Regarding the transgenics steadily, he continued, "The second issue stems basically from the way this organisation is run. Manticore is run by a committee of directors, who makes the decisions on the development and missions for you. You know you are the product of billions of dollars in research and development. You are the perfect soldier, with IQs off the charts. So it stands to reason for Manticore to put you in a better position to utilise your skills. Yes, you have all been deployed on missions where you utilise the skills which you spent all the rest of your years here training for,"

"We were thinking of a larger involvement with Manticore for the COs. The committee wants your input in future projects. We belief that with your superior abilities, your involvement would be beneficial to Manticore," he finished with an inward grin, somewhat gleefully awaiting the transgenics reaction.

Max couldn't help it. Her jaw finally dropped.

Matt raised an eyebrow.

A frown marred the Arctic Division CO's pale face.

Alec stiffened in shock.

The dark wrinkled face of the Desert division's CO became even more scrunched up, making him appear rather comical.

Jace remain motionless but her flickering eyes gave away her shock.

Lydecker would love to know what's in their mind at the moment. Then he asked in a deceptively nonchalant voice, "Any questions, so far?" As if he was just briefing them on a regular mission.

After a short silence, Alec spoke, careful to keep his voice neutral, "Sir, will this not involve the reorganisation of the basic structure of Manticore?"

Lydecker's lips twisted as he perused the young transgenic in front of him. _Sharp, this one. He will go far._ "That's correct," The transgenics started to shuffle. Lydecker returned his gaze towards the rest of them. Instantly, the shuffling stopped and they straightened their backs. "Anymore questions?" he raised his eyebrows.

"When will this change be executed?" Matt asked curiously.

"As it is extremely important to keep the organisation, and the facility running smoothly, we will be implementing this change gradually. Your involvement will be minimal to start with, then gradually you will be involved larger schemes. I am still working on the details,"

As a thought crossed her mind, Max asked, "And if the change brings about undesirable results? If it fails?"

The rest of the transgenics stiffened at her question. They were brought up to expect punishment when anything goes not according to plan, whether or not it was actually their fault.

Lydecker looked into their eyes one by one, and said, "Failure is not acceptable, as you know. The success of this change largely depends on yourselves. So it's up to you. However, if it appears that the results will be undesirable, we will revert back to the way we were prior to this meeting,"

The transgenics sighed inwardly, relieved that Manticore did not intend to punish them if for any reason, this project decided to go FUBAR.

But could they trust Lydecker to keep his words?

* * *

As they filed out of Lydecker's room after the meeting, Alec tapped Max on the arm. 

"Hey Max. Congratulations," he said with a small smile.

Eyeing Alec suspiciously, Max nodded and murmured, "Thanks,"

She did not know what to make of Alec's sudden friendliness to her. The last time this happened, they ended up kissing, she thought, embarassed.So she turned away from him to walk away. She knew it was childish to avoid him, but it seemed to her that each time they came face to face, they either do something stupid, or they argue. At the moment, she really did not feel like taking part in either. She needed some time alone to digest what Lydecker just told them.

Alec watched as she retreated from him. Alec did not know if she was doing it deliberately or it was just coincidence, but she always managed to avoid him. Ever since the time he tried to kiss her. After her encounter with him and Biggs, he had barely seen her, let alone talked to her. He figured that she must have been sent out for missions at those times when he was back in Manticore. So they kept missing each other.

And now she was just walking away again. But he knew how he could get her to stop.

Putting on his most annoying, mocking expression, he said to her retreating back knowing that she will hear him, "You know, it isn't everyday when you get told that you are commanding a bunch of kids. You must have seriously impressed Manticore, for them to make you the new Pied-Piper for the X6 rugrats. But I hope you are not planning on teaching them Escape and Evade," he mocked.

Hearing the tone of his voice, Max swivelled round at him. She could not just walk away from his condescending words. She bared her teeth at him in a fake smile and said, "Why thank you for your kind words, but they are not necessary," Max shot back, annoyed that she did not manage to escape in time.

"Why Max, I think Manticore had given you a bit too much shark DNA. That smile looks decidedly shark-like, and almost as deadly," Alec drawled, and pretended to shiver. From his previous encounters with her, he knew that it would piss her off.

And it did.

"Oh, you want to feel how deadly my fist can be?" Max shot back, lifting her tightly clenched fists mere inches from Alec's nose.

Alec instantly realised that it was now a good time to rein in his tongue.

"Whoa, calm down, Max," he said, holding his hands up in defence. He really did not want Max to hit him again; she could be quite violent sometimes. He sighed as he decided that he might as well be honest; maybe he could salvage their truce, "Look, I know that I am not your favourite transgenic, but I just wanted to have a few words with you, that's all"

Max narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Why?"

"Why? Because I thought we had a truce," Alec replied, slightly flustered.

"Yeah, me too. Then you come along and wreck it by being a jerk,"

"Huh? When?" Alec asked, wrinkling his brow as if trying to think of what she was going on about. _As if you do not know,_ he mocked himself.

"You know damn well when!" Max snapped, unable to stop herself from blushing as she recalled the kiss which brought their truce to a premature death.

"Okay, okay, I just thought I shouldn't mention it again, since you are so bothered about it," he said placatingly.

"I am NOT bothered about it," Max insisted rather petulantly.

"Well, glad to know that one of us isn't," he muttered under his breath

Her eyes narrowed into slits as she heard his words, "What did you say?"

"Nothing,"

"Alec, I swear I am going to kick you ass so hard you won't be able to sit for days if you don't stop this!" she warned, her face flushed. Inwardly her heart was pounding at his words. He just admitted that the kiss affected him. Max did not know what to think. She was so wrapped up in how _she_ felt about the kiss that it did not occur to her to think of his reaction, or his motives.

"Do you know that you look really hot when you are mad," Alec blurted out before he could stop himself. Then he grinned cheekily at Max.

"Alec!" Max yelled, throwing her hands up in frustration.

Matt walked up behind Max, and said softly "Got a problem?"

Max shook her head mutely. She did not trust herself to say anything. And the last thing she wanted to give Matt or any of the guys in her unit a reason to start another fight. Unfortunately, Matt had already noticed the direction of her glare.

"494, I thought we have been through this before. I seemed to recall telling you to stay away from her!" Matt said to Alec. He remembered the incident few years ago in the med bay where Alec was getting his kicks taunting Max after Advanced Interrogation.

Alec felt his irritation rise at the other male transgenic's words, "Look, 481. I hate to say this, but it's really none of your business what 452 and I do or say to each other. What? You think she can't take care of herself?" Alec retorted.

"I am her CO and you _will_ answer to me if you even _look _at her wrong," Matt snapped, almost growling.

Alec could see the anger in 481's eyes, and felt his own hackles rise. "Very protective, aren't you? For the record, I do not answer to _anyone,_ much less you!" Alec spat with disdain. He saw no reason to back off. After all, he was not doing anything wrong. And what was it with Max and all the males around her? 547, 481, Biggs and even Lydecker seemed equally besotted.

Alec conveniently forgot to include himself in that list.

Trying to cool the flare-up before it becomes a full-blown Alpha brawl, Max stepped in, "_Alec_ was just complimenting me on my success in getting chosen as the CO for the X6s," Max said, putting a restraining arm on Matt. She hoped that by calling 494 Alec, Matt would be convinced that they were friend and he did not need to view him as a threat.

"Alec?" Matt looked at her questioningly. Then, doing a complete 180, he turned to Alec and said, "So she named you as well, huh?"

Stunned by the sudden change in Matt from a snapping monster to a friendly transgenic, Alec paused for a moment before he answered tentatively, "Um, kind of,"

"It was inspired by smart-aleck," Max clarified with a smirk.

"Oh! It's better than some of the others," Matt grinned, "I'm Matt. Before you ask, no, she did not name me. Hence the _decent_ name,"

Scratching his head, Alec asked, amused "So she does this naming thing often?"

Matt laughed, "Hah! You should hear some of them!" Matt stopped as Max smacked his arm.

"Hey! What's wrong with the names?" she asked, mildly offended. She gave him a harder punch.

Grabbing her hand to stop her punches, Matt said to Max, "Come on, we need to tell the others about the stuff Lydecker told us. See you around… Alec,"

Alec nodded. He stood there motionless, staring as Max and Matt walked away, both of them seemingly very comfortable in each others company. He squashed the twinge of resentment as he noticed her hand which still remained enfolded in Matt's.

* * *

Lydecker sat at his desk, studying the two transgenics in front of him. They stood ramrod straight at attention. The two of them had spent the last six months in the med bay, reindoctrination and various retraining programmes. Now, they seemed like the perfect Manticore soldier, but Lydecker knew better. Lydecker sighed inwardly. He knew that these two was far from 'reindoctrinated'. 

"At ease, soldiers," he said, watching them relax almost imperceptibly, "State your designation," he said, just to see how they chose to respond.

"X5-599, Sir,"

"X5-210, Sir,"

Lydecker decided that he might as well get it over with, "I've called you here to inform you that your reindoctrination was successful and that you will be reintroduced to your new unit. X5-599, you will be joining unit 3 and X5-210 will be joining unit 6," he said, then pausing to look at Zack, he continued, "599, I realise that you used to be the CO for unit 2. However, it was decided that for now, there are too few of you to reform unit 2, so you will be under the command of X5-798. Although 798 used to be under your command, I fully expect you to treat her in a manner fitting a CO," he said pointedly.

"Yes, sir," Zack said, suppressing his distaste at the entire situation. Not only he was back in Manticore, now he would have to follow the instructions of one of his younger siblings. Jace did not escape with them, so he had no idea what she was like now. Considering how Max reacted when they last met after she had been back in Manticore only for a few years, he had a feeling that Jace would be worse. He dreaded the thought. However, he knew that he needed to bide his time until he found a way to escape again.

Jondy, on the other hand, was looking forward to reuniting with Max and Jace. She was slightly disappointed that she was assigned a unit away from all three of her siblings. But she knew that she would find a way to meet them. Something so minor did not faze her at all.

A knock sounded on the door, catching their attention.

"Come in," Lydecker called out.

The door opened to admit Alec and Jace. They marched in and saluted.

"Sir, you asked for us?" Jace started, trying not to let her surprise show as she noticed the other two transgenics in the room. When the guard told her that Lydecker summoned her, the last thing she expected to see was Zack and Jondy here. She wondered when did Manticore capture them.

Oblivious to her thoughts, Lydecker nodded, "There are new additions to your unit. X5-599 will be joining unit 3 and X5-210 will be joining unit 6," He looked over at Jondy and said, "494 will be your new CO,"

Alec gave her a quick glance, noticing that the girl he carried all over the woods during the mission looked much healthier now than when he last saw her. He gave her a quick nod of acknowledgement, which she returned. He did not quite know what to make of this new arrangement, but in light of what had just happened with Lydecker, he decided not to think of it too much. _Having an '09-er in his unit would not be such a big deal,_ the thought ran through his head.

Then he brought himself up short as he realised what just went through his mind; _The '09-ers are not a big deal? Since when he changed his mind about them?_

_Since you got yourself involved with Max, you dolt! _A voice inside his head mocked him.

Alec suppressed the urge to smack himself right there and then.

Zack faced Jace, who was regarding him expressionlessly. He wouldn't have recognised his 'sister' if he bumped into her in the streets; she looked so different from the small, shaved girl he used to know. _She grew up well_, he thought. He wanted to ask her how she way, but he guessed that it could wait until they were alone.

"494, 798, you will make sure that your new unit member receives the same treatment as the rest of your unit members. I'll let you arrange their supplies. Any questions?"

"No, sir," Alec answered.

"You can go now,"

The four of them filed out of the room. As Lydecker's door clicked shut behind them, they stood facing each other silently, each not knowing what to say.

Zack was wondering about Jace and was also worried about Jondy being under Alec's command.

Jace was feeling uncomfortable at having to command Zack, seeing that she practically grew up under his wing. She was sure that he would not take it well, if she remembered what he was like before.

Alec was trying to come up with something to break the stagnant tension. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable with all of them standing there without uttering a word.

Jondy was the first one to speak, "So, what do we do now," she asked no one in particular

Relieved that the silence was broken, Alec answered, "I suppose Supplies should be the first stop," then he couldn't resist adding with a grin, "Couldn't have you running around without clothes, could we?"

Jondy laughed, glad that her new CO was easygoing enough to joke with her even though they've just met. It would make things easier than to have a strict CO.

But obviously Zack did not have the same thoughts, "Watch what you're saying, 494," Zack growled, not liking the way he spoke to Jondy. Heck, he did not like 494, full stop.

Alec frowned. Just what was 599's problem? He was just trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit.

"It was a joke, 599," he said rather condescendingly, "You know, you should loosen up a bit. Being so uptight all the time is not healthy,"

"I don't need your advice on the state of my health. Just quit making suggestive remarks to my sister," Zack warned.

Alec raised one eyebrow, "Your sister?" he looked back and forth between them, "I can't say I see the family resemblance,"

Before Zack could retort, Jace stepped in, "That's enough," she looked pointedly at Lydecker's door, telling them without words that Lydecker might hear them.

Understanding Jace's unspoken warning, they started to walk away, heading in the direction of the Supplies block. When they arrived, Alec picked up a form and started ticking the boxes.

"Shirt, combat trousers, toiletries, undergarments…" he paused and gave Jondy a cheeky wink.

She laughed and said in a teasing voice, "You might be my CO, but that doesn't mean you get to come close to my undies,"

"Shame," Alec said, pretending to be disappointed. He flicked a glance to see Zack's reaction to their banter.

Zack was seething. He knew that 494 was trying to rile him, but he refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing his anger. So he kept silent. He just wished that Jondy wouldn't encourage the guy. But he knew that that was too much to hope for. Jondy by nature was friendly and flirtatious, much to Zack's chagrin.

Jondy laughed at the disappointed look on her new CO's face. She decided that she would definitely not mind being in his unit if he was always like this. She shot a surreptitious glance at Jace, noting her frozen expression. Her heart sank. Jace had not even acknowledged her or Zack, not even now when they were away from Lydecker's watchful eyes.

Jondy wondered if Jace were mad at them for escaping without her.

* * *

He stood staring at the security records on the screen. 

He simply could not believe his eyes.

Furious, he picked up the phone and started dialing. The phone rang and rang until he felt like hurling it against the wall. He was about to do that when the other man finally picked up.

Without preliminaries, he barked, "They came in and took the disk!"

There was a minute of silence before the other man asked calmly, "You saw them?"

"Not really. The security records showed one of them outside and one of them in the building. Their face were obscured, and the resolution was terrible," he admitted, his knuckles white from gripping the receiver. He could not believe they had just waltzed in and took the disk. And he did not know what happened until this morning when he tried to find it.

"Incompetent fools! What's the use of having those security cameras when you couldn't see who broke in?" the other man snapped, "Good thing you only have the copy,"

"When can I have the rest of the information?" he asked, hoping that the other man would just give him the rest of the disks, now that the first one was stolen.

"You have yet to find the information I wanted. I don't have to remind you of our deal," the other man stated.

Sighing in frustration, he said, "I told you, I am working on it. The man seemed to have gone underground. It might help if I have a chance to look at what you have,"

"I am sure you can work it out without the disks," the other man said in a disinterested tone.

"It takes longer," he insisted, frustrated that the other man refused to give in to his request.

"I am growing impatient," the other man in an ominous tone.

"So am I, White,"

**t.b.c.**

* * *

A/N: This one is surely not a cliffie, right? Those of you who read the last update for Deception know this already, but for the rest of you…I am getting on a plane in less than 24 hours and hence will not be able to update till around the 18th Aug. Sadly, there's no internet connection where I am going! I hope you guys would leave some reviews for me to enjoy when I get back -:grins:- 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing guys. And thanks for the holiday greetings; it was a good break, away from civilization for 2 weeks, lol! Missed you guys though!

**Calistra **– Thanks for your review. Zack is so entrenched in his training that it would take something major to get him out of it.

**GiRl MaGe** – Thanks for reviewing. No more waiting, here's next chappie.

**Iridescent Twilight** – No it's NOT a cliffie, lol! We can go on and on about this! So you are morbid, weird and perverted, hehe! But NO! You still don't scare me -:laughs wickedly:- Thanks for reviewing.

**Mel11** – Thanks for your review. Glad you thought they weren't cliffies; I've been trying to convince the others that it's not! Lol!

**Kungfuchick** – Alec and Jondy would be FUN together, I think. You like White? But he's the bad guy! -:grins:- Thanks for reviewing.

**Gabbie760** – Thanks for your review. Manticore will exist for quite sometime!

**Sarah** – Aw, don't be mad! See, update is here! You'll find out the identity of the other guy in this chappie. You are also kind of right about Alec and Jondy. Thanks for your review.

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Thanks for reviewing. Hmm…as for the other's pairing, you'll get some not so subtle hints in this chapter -:winks:-. Hope you like them.

**Lady marauder** – Thanks for your review. Yep, White is looking for Sandeman…and someone is helping him. Any guess as to who? Ah, you'll find out soon anyway ;)

**Kelzaa** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the chapter. Tell me what you think of this one.

**Eva** – Thanks for reviewing. Yup, plot is thickening, but rather slowly…-:Sigh:-

**L80bug** – Thanks for reviewing. Update is here.

**Alana84 **– Alec being Jondy's CO will probably be the fun bit of the story. As for M/A scenes, there'll be more as they get closer. So look out for it -:grins:- Thanks for reviewing.

**Gamegirl452** – Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, I guess positive reviews always make writers more happy to continue with the story!

**AngelKougaeri** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the story ;) Please tell me what you think of this chapter.

**Lotamoxie** – Yeah, Zack's attitude is going to cause a bit of friction between him and Jace, but what's new! I am still trying to develop Alec's and Jondy's 'relationship' so that it gets entangled in Max's, hehe! Thanks for reviewing.

**Angelofdarkness78 **– I was worried at first when I put Jondy in Alec's unit, but after the reviews for this chappie, I think I did the right thing! Phew! More M/A moments in the next few chapters as I try to put them together without them biting each other's heads off! Thanks for reviewing.

**Toniboo** – Thanks for reviewing. Alec/Max action will come up in chapter 20; it just refused to fit in this chapter, lol!

**GuestTypePerson** – You are actually registered! Lol! Nah, I am trying to avoid my tendencies towards cliffies seeing that it was getting a bit out of hand for a while -:grins:- So you will be safe, I guess, from your book carts. You want Max to smash Alec to bits! Why? LOL! Thanks for reviewing.

**Darkangelgirl** – Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked my stories, and hope that you continue reading.

**NoAngell **– Max and Alec will get together very soon, as in starting next chapter. So not much longer to wait -:grins:- Thanks for reviewing.

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 19 – Teen Spirit**

(by elle6778)

Max stood uncomfortably in front of the large group of X6s in one corner of the training grounds. To be completely honest with herself, she had no idea how she was supposed to carry out what she was briefed to do. It was one thing commanding a small team; commanding such a big group was a different kettle of fish altogether.

Lydecker had told her that she would be in charge of them only during the morning drills, and the rest of the day she would train together with her regular unit. It was important for her to carry on her own training otherwise she would end up falling behind. Lydecker had expected her to condition the X6s so that they could be deployed on missions sooner and to integrate them with the other active units. He also asked her to select two which she thought would make good bodyguards. He was not very specific.

So how was she to know what exactly she was supposed to do?

Max caught their expectant gazes and sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long day.

"Right…All we are going to do today is to get to know each other. Then you will be split into smaller units to make it easier for us to train,"

They stared at her wordlessly. Their silence was beginning to unnerve her.

Max looked at the notes Lydecker gave her. The main topics she was supposed to get through to the X6s were teamwork and integration with other units. How was she supposed to do that with only X6s in front of her? She needed the participation of the other transgenics as well.

She decided that she should just give them a broad introduction to the other transgenics. Not that she knew that much herself. Maybe she should go for the interactive approach.

"So, who can tell me what an X3 is? Raise your hands if you know," Max asked, looking around. There was no movement from the sea of X6s in front of her.

"Come on! Before I start picking someone," she threatened with grin.

A small hand raised tentatively. Max smiled in encouragement

"They are anomalies, ma'am," he said. He was one of the X6s who went along with Max on the mission a few months ago.

Max eyebrows lifted at his answer. This was going to take longer than she thought, "Okay, but can someone define an anomaly?"

Another one of the X6s who went on the mission piped up, "They are transgenics who live in the basement because they did not pass Manticore's tests," she paused for a moment. Then turning questioning eyes to Max, she asked, "Permission to speak freely, ma'am,"

Max gestured impatiently for her to go on.

"There were X3s in the last mission we went on. Why were they allowed on the mission if they did not pass Manticore's tests?" she asked, confusion evident on her face.

Max smiled. That was the opening she needed. "Manticore developed one series after another of transgenics. Some of the resulting transgenics from the earlier series were considered flawed. This was just because at that time, Manticore's main aim was to create transgenics who will blend in well with society, making it easier for them to move around undetected," she told them what Lydecker told her, "But, the so –called anomalies are just like you and me. Some have a bit too much canine DNA, some with too much feline DNA, but they all have their own special skills,"

Max took a deep breath, feeling a bit more confident now when she saw the interested looks the children were sporting, "My task here as your CO is not to oversee your daily training, though if you have any concerns, you could come talk to me about it anytime. I am here to integrate you with the rest of the X-series and anomalies, so that we can all work together as one. I'll be overseeing your away missions as well,"

"To be able to assign you to the appropriate missions, I would need to know what sort of specialist skills you have. Now, I have read your files, but all they told me was what all of you have been trained for and that's just about everything. I need to know what you excel at. So, I want you to group yourself into different specialist groups. Weapons and explosives here; stealth over there…" she gestured to her left and continued listing down various other skills.

The X6s eagerly started to sort themselves into position.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Max could see the X5s undergoing the familiar morning drills.

Max spotted Zack in the midst of the group of transgenics led by Jace. They were reintroduced back to the regular training programme just recently, and she had no doubt that Zack was not too happy with that. Heck, Zack was not happy with anything to do with Manticore. Strange, because from what she could see from their mannerisms, Zack was the only one who retained his uptight CO façade till now. Max noticed that although Zack was technically under Jace's command, anyone could see that the way Zack held himself practically proclaims that he was the most dominant one in that unit.

She did not know how Jace would take it. Since her return, she had not had a chance to talk to Jace privately. Jace did not seem to have any inclination to want to catch up either. Max looked closer at Jace, focussing her eyes. She seemed to look more tense than usual. Max sighed, the situation did not bode well for Zack and Jace.

Looking further, Max grinned as she spotted Jondy in Alec's unit. Alec stood in front of Unit 6, going through the motions. Max could not help staring at him in amazement. The cocky, irritating transgenic was gone and in its place, a pure Manticore Commanding Officer.

Alec would not know what hit him if Jondy decided to misbehave. Her fun-loving sister would drive him up the wall, she was sure of it. Zack was often at a loss as to how to deal with their mischievous sister back when he was the CO in unit 2. Max almost wished that she was in Alec's unit just to see Alec dealing with her sister.

Almost.

But it was probably not worth all the aggravation she would get from him. Though she had to admit that recently, he had stopped insulting her; his words were more of the teasing types. So she actually found it easier to be in his company nowadays.

She thought back to their interactions in the past six, or was it seven, years. The hostility between them from the early years was gone. Sure, he still taunted her on and off, but she could live with it. She reddened as she remembered the kiss they shared. She could now admit to herself that she enjoyed it much more than she let on at that time, but why? Was it just her teenage hormones? Or was it Alec? She knew that he had been on her mind more often recently.

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled when one of the X6s called out to her, "Ma'am, we are ready," the boy said, giving her an expectant look.

Pushing thoughts of Alec to the back of her mind, she turned back to her job.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, Max and Gab having completed their training in the gym for the night, decided to head back to the dorm to catch a couple of hours sleep. Gab as usual, could not keep his mouth shut for two seconds.

"So, things are going well with you and Alec, huh?" he teased, knowing that the mere mention of the other transgenic's name was enough to unsettle her. Especially after he'd seen how she looked at Alec when she thought no one noticed.

Max scowled, "He's an ass, and you know it. So stop talking about him. I am not interested," hoping that Gab would drop it. It was hard enough to stop thinking about Alec without Gab bringing him up.

Gab grinned. He had bumped into Alec earlier and said the same thing to the guy. Alec just said that it was none of his business. Gab finally backed away when Alec threatened to sic 210, or better known as Jondy, on him.

Gab shuddered at the thought of Jondy.

It was no secret that Max's _sister_ lived to torture him, and he had only known the girl for a couple of weeks. He regretted ever following Max when she decided to invite her sister to join them for training that night. _That girl fought even dirtier than Max_, he thought. Must have been the additional years she spent outside of Manticore. Gab thanked his lucky stars that Jondy decided to forgo the training tonight, otherwise no doubt he would have been hobbling painfully all the way back to the dorm. Not only she was violent, she also did not have any sympathy him. Instead, she seemed to gain a perverse pleasure in seeing him grit his teeth in pain.

"I did not ask if you're interested or not. Just wondering if you guys are still at each other's throats, that's all," Gab replied flippantly.

Max just grunted, refusing to answer.

So he continued, "It's just so funny sometimes seeing your reaction to each other. All that tension, tsk…tsk…" Gab shook his head in mock disapproval.

Max glared at him, "Oh, enough already! Stop before I smack you,"

"I thought you reserve those only for Alec," Gab taunted cheerfully.

Max fought the urge to wring her friend's neck. She settled for sticking her tongue out at him.

"Childish," Gab muttered under his breath.

"Look who's talking," Max shot back

Max pushed the door to their dorm open silently, careful not to wake any of her unit mates. Together they padded silently to their beds. As she was about to reach her bed, Max realised that Gab was no longer behind her. Instead, he stopped in the middle of the room, his eyes trained on Sandy.

"Gab," she hissed, "Whatever joke you're thinking of playing; don't do it!" She stalked over to Gab, who just ignored her. _What the hell is wrong with him?_ She wondered, grabbing Gab's arm to tug him back to his bed.

Taking a step towards Sandy's bed, Gab shook her hand off roughly, surprising Max. Gab had never treated her that way before. He continued to advance towards Sandy, unheeding of Max's whispered threats.

"Gab, what the hell do you think you are doing?" she whispered urgently, following her friend as he approached the sleeping Sandy.

Gab continued to ignore her. He got his eyes fixed on Sandy.

Then her attention was drawn to the girl on the bed. Sandy was tossing around restlessly. Her skin was slick with a sheen of sweat. As she continued to toss, she let out a small moan.

Max felt the hair at the back of her neck stand as Gab gave an answering growl. _Oh no, no, NO! Sandy's in heat!_ Max thought frantically. What was she going to do now? The whole room was full of male transgenics. Now she knew why Gab was behaving so strangely.

Max took a deep breath and decided to do the first thing that came to mind.

She launched herself at Gab, trying to pull him back.

Fuelled by adrenaline and hormones, Gab easily shook her much smaller frame off his back. Max fell in heap on the floor, waking the rest of her unit. _Great going, Max, now we have the rest to deal with, _she thought irritably. True to her predictions, the rest of the unit 4 males started heading towards Sandy, who by now was wide awake.

"Back off, guys," Max ordered loudly. There was no point in whispering now that everyone was awake.

They simply ignored her and continued to advance.

Cass and Val, the only other two females in their unit, caught on and tried to restrain the males closest to them. Considering that there six of them against only three females, Max realised that the odds were not good.

To make things worse, Sandy was now purring in delight at the attention she was receiving from the males. Gab, Zip and Blade, who were closest to her, growled in reply to her.

Cass had grabbed Treve and Speed, who were thankfully far enough from Sandy to be able to retain some of their sanity. She dragged them out of the room and locked the door after them, after instructing them to call the guards. She came back into the room to help Max and Val with Gab, Zip, Blade and Matt.

Max wedged herself between Sandy and Gab, trying to prevent them from doing what their hormones were telling them to do. Gab tried to reach for Sandy, but Max swatted his arms away. Irritated, he grabbed Max and threw her to the side.

"Damn it, Gab. Stop this now or you will regret it tomorrow," she snapped, angry at being dumped so unceremoniously on the floor by her friend.

"Leave us, Max. It's got nothing to do with you," Gab growled, his eyes not leaving Sandy.

Max tried to stop him again, but was rewarded by a punch in the face. She staggered, but remained standing. Touching her face gingerly, she swore as she realised that she would have a black eye for all her trouble. Her lips compressed in irritation as she remained where she was, glaring at Gab and continued trying to make him see sense.

Across the room, Matt found himself restrained by Val as he tried to go to Sandy. He knew in his head that it was not right, but he could not seem to help himself being drawn to Sandy. He looked down at Val, who had a death grip around him. Then as the smell of pheromones started permeating further across the room, he began to struggle away from Val.

When he started to break free, Val decided that the best way to stop Matt was to give him a little bit of what he wanted. She latched on to him and silenced his startled gasp with her lips. What she did not expect was her own reaction to the kiss. She wondered if Sandy's pheromones somehow affected her, as she moaned against Matt's lips.

Matt could not believe what was happening. One minute he was blinded by desire to run towards Sandy, and the next minute, he was kissing Val senseless. Or rather, Val was kissing him senseless. Although the smell of Sandy's pheromones was thick in the air, Matt could only feel the lips of the girl in front of him. He had always wanted Val, but he never thought this would happen. He continued to caress her lips, encouraged by her moans. They were both oblivious to the chaos around them

In the meantime, Cass was attempting to stop Zip and Blade from tearing each other apart in the quest for Sandy's affection without much success. They seemed intent on beating each other to a pulp. She finally stood aside, thinking that as long as they left Sandy alone, she would leave them to maul each other to their heart's content. She smirked as she made a note to herself to tease them about it tomorrow.

In the meantime, Gab was getting annoyed with Max's persistence in preventing him from claiming Sandy. Turning to face her fully, he poised to attack, intent on taking her down once and for all. Max did not back down, which led to them rolling on the floor, wrestling each other.

When everything seemed hopelessly messed up, the guards finally decided to make an appearance. Between the six guards, Max, Val and Cass, they finally managed to restrain the males and drag a kicking and screaming Sandy into Isolation.

* * *

Alec was walking back to his dorm carrying a medical kit when Max suddenly appeared, walking towards him looking thunderous. He almost dropped the box as his eyes took in the state she was in.

As she neared him, she slowed down.

Alec cast his eyes over her, taking in the handprint around her neck and the bruise around her eyes. He felt his anger rise as he cursed whoever that did this to Max. Not bothering to hide how concerned he was, he asked, "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

"Sandy went in heat and the males went berserk," Max replied irritably, looking away uncomfortably from him. Her irritation stemmed not only from the incident, but also the fact that Alec was seeing her in this state. She told herself not to care. It wasn't as if he's interested in how she looked anyway. _But what about all the kisses and his teasing and his_…she cut the annoying voice in her head off. All these thoughts she had been having in her head about Alec was beginning to drive her mad.

Alec nodded in understanding, "It happens," he said, reaching out a hand to touch the bruise around her eyes gently. He retracted his hand when she winced, "Sorry. Are you alright? You don't look so good," he said, realising too late that his last sentence did not come out right.

Her eyes narrowed as she took in his words, as usual, interpreting it the worst way she could.

Noting the look on her face, Alec said quickly, "That did not come out right. What I meant was that you need to get it checked by the medics,"

Surprised at his reaction, Max mumbled, shaking her head disbelievingly, "I can't believe I heard you say that. Must have got hit in the head harder than I thought,"

"What?" Alec looked at her in confusion.

"Can't believe you passed up the chance you got to tease me about my looks," Max winced as she heard her own words. _Now I just sound vain and girly,_ she thought, irritated at herself.

Alec raised his eyebrows, "I never teased you about your looks," Alec said softly, "And you know these will fade," he said reassuringly.

"Why?" Max asked, curious. She felt slightly tingly at the way he was looking at her, but she decided to ignore it. _Probably because I am still out of sorts after the fight with Gab_, she reasoned.

"Why what?"

Max threw her hands up, "Is there an echo here or something! Why you never teased me about that?" she asked impatiently.

Alec frowned, then smiled when he realised what she was asking, "Your looks? No reason to tease you about it; you look good," he admitted sheepishly.

"Oh," was the only reply from Max as she tried to hide her smile.

"What? I gave you a compliment and all you can say is 'oh'?" Alec teased her.

Reddening slightly, she muttered, "What else could I say?"

"You could always return the compliment," he drawled.

Max's eyes snapped up to his, and saw the laughter in their depths. She could not help it; she laughed out loud, "You are terrible, you know that!" she remarked, laughing.

Alec grinned, "Well, I guess sometimes I just need the additional ego boost,"

Max smacked his arms lightly, "Your head is big enough,"

Alec grinned, "But I could never refuse a compliment from a pretty lady,"

"I see that you are back to your usual self," she said, rolling her eyes. Shame, she kind of liked it when he was all sweet and caring.

"What do you mean?"

"For a moment there, I thought…" she paused, unsure how to continue.

"What?" he prodded

"Nothing," she said with a tone of finality

"Aw, Max! You can't say things like that and leave me hanging," he complained, turning his pleading eyes to her.

Max grinned as she began to walk away from him, resuming her journey to the med bay, "See you around, pretty boy," she threw over her shoulders.

Not seeing the smile on Alec's face.

* * *

White stood in front of the members of the conclave in their designated meeting spot. The elder stepped forward, studying White all the while.

"Brother White, thank you for gracing us with your presence,"

White bowed respectfully.

"Now, if we could get down to business," the elder said, "How are things coming along on the search?" he asked.

"It is in hand. I am getting closer to finding out Sandeman's location. I just need a little bit more time, and faith from by brothers and sisters," he said meaningfully, knowing fully well that they did not trust him after what his father pulled. His father, he thought in disgust, who carried out the ultimate betrayal to the conclave by abandoning their beliefs and went off on his own way.

White knew he had to make things right; to restore the conclave's faith in their tainted bloodline.

The elder went on smoothly, "We have faith in your abilities, but Sandeman is a slick character. We were thinking perhaps you would appreciate some help from another brother?"

White shook his head, "It is not necessary. As I said, it's all in hand. We will get Sandeman. He have to pay for his betrayal,"

The members of the conclave nodded gravely.

After concluding the meeting with other matters, they dispersed, leaving White alone in the room.

As the last of them left, White fished his secure cellphone out of his pocket and started dialling. When he heard an answer from the other end, he started to speak.

"We are running out of time. I need the information now," White barked down the phone.

A sigh came through the line, "I told you, White. I am working on it,"

"My confidence in your abilities are waning. You have taken weeks, with no results whatsoever. I thought when we made our deal, you assured me that you would be able to give me the information rapidly,"

"It would make things easier if I had the disk, as I told you before. Why don't you just hand it over?"

White gritted his teeth. The reason he refused to hand the disk over was because he needed something to hold on to. But it would be pointless if that meant the delay of the information he required, so he snapped, "Very well, then. You can have it. Meet me in the usual place,"

"You won't regret it, I promise you,"

"You better keep your promise. You do realise that it would be no big deal for me to hunt you down, do you?" White threatened coldly.

"No need for that, White. I am a man of my words," he said placatingly.

"We'll see, Cale. We'll see,"

* * *

**t.b.c**

A/N: -:grins:- Like it? Don't like it? Please review and let me know. I love reading your reviews - make me want to write more!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews guys! I love it all! Now, on another topic, my other story:Deception, is coming to an end; next chapter is the last one. I know most of you are reading it, but if you haven't read it, maybe you would like to check it out :)

**Calistra** – Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, I tend to want to cast Logan on the bad side -:grins:- wonder why!

**Kelzaa** – Thanks for your review. Logan and White currently just have a 'deal' to help each other out.

**Toniboo **– Glad you liked the Max/Alec interaction. Yes! Matt and Val was something that was waiting to happen, but until last chapter, I couldn't get it in, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**AngelKougaeri **– Thanks for reviewing. Let me know what you think of this chappie!

**HoneyX5-452** – Glad you liked the little Max/Alec scene. It's just to make a point that they CAN talk without fighting, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Ro** – Yup…I thought it was about time they got along a bit better -:grins:- I hope the lack of bickering was not too disappointing! Thanks for your review.

**GuestTypePerson** – You feeling hostile towards Alec? But it's _Alec!_ He's too cute and yes, definitely sweet when he wants to be! LOL! Zack and Jace scene is in this chapter, so read on! As for Cale…you got to read on to find out! Thanks for reviewing.

**Mel11** – Yeah, I thought last chapter was a good time for another heat scene -:winks:-. Glad you liked the conversation between Max and Alec. Hopefully there's more like that to come! Thanks for your review.

**Alana84** – Val had her evil way with Matt, hehe! Who wouldn't? He's pretty cute too, lol! As for Max and Alec, I am glad you liked the scene ;). Thanks for reviewing.

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Shocked? Why? White and Logan makes a good pair, don't you think? Glad you liked the pairing, btw! Thanks for reviewing.

**Sarah **– Drat! You are better at recognizing the plot than I am…But one bit is not quite as you put it, but I am not telling you which one -:chuckles:- Yeah, only one way to shut Gab up – Jondy, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for your review. Max going into heat? That could be arranged -:grins:- But not so soon! There's a few more chapters to go before the thing with White and Cale comes to light.

**L80bug **– Thanks for reviewing. Let me know what you think of this one ;)

**W1cked angel** – Yeah, I share your feelings towards Logan, hehe! Thanks for reviewing.

**Darkangelgirl** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the chapter and YES Max and Alec is finally getting closer, phew! Need a few more chapters before White and Cale's bit comes clear.

**Eva** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked it. Read on and let me know what you think of this chappie.

**Angelofdarkness78** – Hey, what did I do! No cliffie this time, or the last few chapters. I am disappointed in myself -:sighs:- Your sanity, I'm sure, will remain intact, LOL! Glad you like the chapter and thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie **– Hmm…million dollar question – Is Logan a bad guy? -:grins:- You'll find out in a few more chapters. As for Zack…-:sighs:- no surprise there, LOL! Thanks for reviewing.

**Lex2u** – Thanks for reviewing. Hehe, I am glad you liked the MA scene. I can't tell you now if Logan is a bad guy; it'll spoil the story for you -:grins:- Keep on reading and tell me what you think!

**Lakergirl08** – Alright! O.O It must have taken you quite some time to finish all 19 chapters! Wow! I am happy that you thought it's amazing; I am flattered. Jondy will come into play in a couple of chapters more. As for your other questions, you'll get the answer in the next couple of chapters -:grins:- And thank you for reviewing.

**Anna** – Thanks for reviewing. Me leaving you hanging like that? Of course not! LOL! See? I updated already, so hope you'll forgive me -:grins:-

Onwards with the story…

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 20 – Progression**

(by elle6778)

The sound of the bugles blared out irritatingly loud and clear at precisely 0645 hours, followed by discontented groans from the transgenics in unit 4. All of them, bar Sandy who was still in Isolation after last night's episode, got up reluctantly.

Max found herself aching all over. Grumpily throwing the covers off her, Max swung herself off her bed to find herself facing a sheepish looking Gab. Her lips compressed as memories from the night before invaded her mind.

Shuffling his feet, Gab spoke first. "Hey, look…I'm sorry about that," he said, gesturing at the bruises on her face and neck.

Still angry, Max replied tersely, "Yeah, you should, but not for the bruises. But for your lack of self control. What possessed you to go to her, you moron! What could you do anyway? The rest of us were still in the dorm, you know,"

Gab had the grace to look embarrassed. He knew he should have walked away when he realised that Sandy was in heat, but he could not make himself do it. His brain was telling him something, but his hormones were telling him another thing. It was not as if he was the only one anyway. The rest of the guys had reacted the same way as well.

"Max, I can't help it. You know that!" Gab defended himself, a mutinous look on his face.

Max grumbled, "Yeah, unfortunately all of us, in one way or another, are victims to our own hormones. The whole thing could have gone so wrong last night. What if you actually went and did it right there and then in front of us? Have you even thought of the consequences?"

Gab nodded seriously as his lips twitched, "Yeah…I would have lost my virginity,"

Matt and Speed, who was nearby, heard him and proceeded to choke on their laughter.

Max's eye rounded at Gab's words. "I can't believe you can joke about it," she said, incredulous. She threw a glare at Matt and Speed, "Two of you were not much better either," she told them, making a disgusted face.

The three male transgenics laughed, attracting the attention of the rest of the unit, who came closer to find out what was happening.

"Talking about last night, were you?" Cass asked, grinning as she exchanged a look with Max.

"Yeah, these three did not seem too concerned about what happened," Max said in exasperation, inclining her head at Matt, Gab and Speed.

"I know why Matt isn't bothered," Cass said, her eyes lighting up mischievously. She saw what happened last night between Val and Matt when she had decided to leave Speed and Zip to fight it out between them.

"What? Tell us!" Gab turned to Cass questioningly. He did not notice much last night apart from Sandy and her pheromones. And Max, of course. Hard not to notice Max when she was trying to detract him from the call of his hormones. _Spoilsport!_

Knowing what was coming, Matt shot Cass a warning look, which she conveniently ignored.

Grinning, she went on, "Our CO was happily making out, lost in his own world, when the rest of us were frantically trying to save Sandy from being ravaged. So much for taking care of us, huh, Matt?"

"Cass…" Matt started, sending a warning glare to the youngest member of his unit.

"What! With who?" Zip interrupted, excited at the latest development. He wondered who it was. His curious eyes studied the three females until he noticed the heightened colour in Val's face. "Val! With you!" he exclaimed, grinning.

"Well, it's about time too," Gab said, giving Matt a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. He and Max had often wondered if Matt and Val were ever going to do something one day, considering how close they were.

"Hey, it's not what it looks like. I was just trying to distract him," Val protested lamely. Her face was scarlet with embarrassment as she recalled how she felt while kissing him last night. She shot a look under her lashes at Matt, noticing that he did not look too upset at the fact that the rest of unit 4 now knew what happened. He gave her a small smile, which she tentatively returned.

Cass rolled her eyes, "I'd say you did a fantastic job," she drawled as the rest of them laughed. Turning to Max, Cass continued by asking, "Maybe you should have tried that with Gab? Might have been more effective that beating each other up,"

"What! NO!" Max protested as she made a face, "Ugh! Don't…even…THINK…of that!"

Giving her a wounded look, Gab asked rather sorrowfully, "Why? Am I not good enough for you?" Then he grinned as he continued knowingly, "Or do you have someone else you're saving it for?"

Max glared at him, wordlessly daring him to bring Alec up.

Gab continued to look at her, their stares locked in a silent battle of wills.

Matt cleared his throat, "You talking about Alec?" he said cheekily, knowing who Gab meant.

Max gasped in surprise, "Not you too! NO! It's not like that!" she protested quickly, forgetting to keep her voice neutral. Suddenly realising her mistake, she tried to backtrack, "I don't even know him that well,"

But it was too late; the rest of them had caught on.

"You seem to have quite a large reaction at his name though…" Speed said thoughtfully.

"And I remember the time you kissed in the forest…" Cass added, also thoughtfully.

"And every time I see you and Alec together, you get all flustered and he can't seem to leave you alone…" Matt said, grinning as he recalled all the incidents featuring Max and Alec.

"And I remember the time he got all jealous of me and decided to fight me in the gym…and how possessive he got with your brother, Zack…and then how grateful you were the time he saved your life during the mission…" Gab inserted with glee.

"Enough already!" Max snapped, her face flushed, glaring at her laughing unit mates, "For the last time…We are not like that!"

"Sure you're not. We are convinced," Zip said in a disbelieving tone of voice, turning slowly to walk back to his bed, praying that Max would not decide to attack him from the back.

"Yeah, I believe you," Gab said, pretending to yawn as he went back to making his bed.

"Sure, Max…" Cass agreed with wide innocent eyes, moving back to her side of the room with the rest of the unit.

"WE ARE NOT LIKE THAT!" Max shouted at their retreating backs, stomping her foot in irritation.

Their faces averted from Max, they continued to snigger.

She gave them all a very dark look.

* * *

By the time they got to the mess hall, Max had cooled down a bit. She was still disgruntled about her unit mates' teasing about Alec, but at least they stopped now. Grabbing their food trays and their pills, they sat down at their usual table and proceeded to eat.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Max noticed Unit 3 entering the hall, led by Jace. She let her eyes travel further across the room until they fell on two familiar faces. Alec talking and laughing with Jondy. _Well, at least some of us are having a good start to the day,_ she thought irritably. She forced herself not to dwell on why she was so irritated at the sight of them being so friendly. She was just in a bad mood after last night, that all, she told herself.

She moved her gaze back down to her plate of unidentifiable yellow mush, which she supposed was meant to be scrambled eggs. She grimaced. _Manticore should sack their chefs_, she thought. She wondered why Manticore could not bring themselves to serve better tasting food. Surely it was not a problem with cost.

A sudden loud bang snapped Max out of her thoughts. She and the rest of the transgenics in the mess hall stopped eating and turned to the direction where the noise came from.

Max's eyes widened in alarm as she noticed what was happening.

Jace was standing up with her palms on the table, her chair fallen on its back behind her. Zack was still seated in front of her, looking up. Jace was glaring at Zack, her lips tightly compressed. Max could hear her words even at this distance.

"I will not tolerate insubordination, X5-599! You are in this unit and I am your CO, so justlive with it!" Jace bit out, her face twisted in an obvious attempt to keep her temper in control.

_Quite an admirable attempt_, Max thought, not too surprised. The whole thing was waiting to happen since Zack joined Jace's unit. Max just wished that they wouldn't do this in front of everyone.

"Isn't that your brother?" Gab whispered, nudging her; curiosity shining in his eyes.

"Shh…" Max silenced him impatiently; she wanted hear what Zack had done to make Jace so angry.

His eyes flashing with some indefinable emotion, Zack bit out, "I am not denying that you are my CO, 798. I am merely pointing out that the discipline in this unit is slack. And you as a CO should make more of an effort to keep it tight," If his body language spoke for him, it was definitely stating that he did not recognise Jace as his CO.

Another transgenic from unit 3 stood up. Max recognised him as the 2IC. He pushed his chair back and went to stand beside Jace in what seemed like a gesture of support.

Max heard him say coldly to Zack, "599, you are out of order. 798 has always been a good CO to us, which is more than what I can say for you. Unlike you, she did not lead her unit astray. So I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself in the future,"

_Uh-oh,_ Max thought in apprehension. _This could get ugly._ She shifted her eyes towards Jondy to find her sister looking at Zack with a similar look of apprehension. No doubt she was thinking of the trouble Zack would get by being insubordinate.

Zack stood up slowly so that he was standing eye to eye with the other guy. Zack gave him a condescending look, "This is nothing you should concern yourself with, soldier. I am talking to 798, not to you. And I did not lead my unit astray," he gritted out, "I was--" he halted as the guards started walking towards them.

The entire room of transgenics froze.

"What's going on here?" one of the guards asked, looking at Zack and Jace warily. He had been ordered recently not to use force unless absolutely necessary and he hoped that he did not have to. But like the other guards, he still held on tightly to the tazer in his hand. It was the only way they could subdue to transgenics.

Max saw the blank mask slide over Zack's and Jace's faces. Jace spoke, "Nothing. We were just having a discussion on our upcoming mission,"

"The discussion just got a bit heated, that's all," Zack added, his eyes not leaving Jace's face.

The guards looked sceptical. Then one of them said, with warning in his tone, "Very well. Keep it down, alright?"

Jace and Zack nodded.

Satisfied that the transgenics would not cause any trouble, the guards went back to their usual spot at the end of the room.

After a while, the rest of the transgenics relaxed as the tension dissipated. Finished with breakfast, they got up and headed for the door. Max was walking out with her unit when a tap on her shoulders made her turn around.

It was Alec.

"Hey, Maxie," he smiled as he said her name in a low voice.

"Don't call me that," she retorted, her lips twitching as she tried to make up her mind whether or not she should return his smile. Especially after her unit mates' teasing. At that reminder, she looked around for them. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that all of them were pointedly facing away from her and Alec. _No doubt listening to their conversation_, she thought irritably.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, trying to follow the direction of her gaze.

"Nothing," Max replied, turning her attention back to him. He smelled nice, she thought distractedly. Then realising what just went through her mind, she groaned inwardly.

"I guess you saw what happened back there with your brother, huh?" Alec said, rubbing the back of his neck. He wanted to groan at his own words. He knew he sucked at this sort of 'civilised' conservation. Heck, things were much easier back when he was hell bent on teasing her.

Max gave him an odd look, "Yeah, and so did the rest of the hall. And your point is?" _Alec is behaving quite strange today_, she thought.

"He's not doing too well fitting in, is he?" Alec said rather stiffly. _Okay, I should give up. I am not good at this sort of talk._

Max gave him a sigh of exasperation, "Alec…I am sure you did not stop me on the way to morning drills to talk about Zack. So what's up?" she asked impatiently, her hands on her hips.

Alec did not really know why he stopped her in the first place. He guessed that he just wanted to talk to her to see how she was doing. He did not know why but the conversation he had with her last night kept him from falling asleep. Maybe it was because for once, they did not fight.

"I just wanted to see how you were, you know, after last night," he admitted

Max's eyes softened, "I'm fine, thanks. I'll just have to wear my battle scars for another day and it'll be gone," she said, gesturing at her bruises.

Alec grinned, "Makes you look like an owl," he teased, feeling lighter now.

Max smacked him on the shoulders, "Of all the insensitive things to say to a girl," she exclaimed.

"A cute owl," Alec added, still grinning as he avoided another smack.

"Why? You want a black eye too?" Max offered, her eyes gleaming.

Alec came closer to her, "Why? You can't keep your hands off me?"

"Only my fists," she replied sweetly, but there was not malice in her voice.

"I prefer other parts of your body," he said in a level tone.

Max forced herself to ignore his suggestive remark, as she retorted, "What? My feet?"

He took a while to consider before replying, "That will do too, but preferably without the boots. I am sure your feet is just as cute as your black eye,"

The sniggers and giggles from the transgenics in front of them distracted Max and Alec from their conversation. Max swallowed her irritation when she noticed that the sounds came from Unit 4 and Unit 6. They were obviously listening to her conversation with Alec.

Jondy, who noticed that Alec and Max had stopped, turned back and said, "Carry on…Don't mind us," she said with a cheeky grin. That sent the rest of them into a fresh fit of giggles.

Max rolled her eyes, "You all should grow up," she remarked, sounding very irritated as she shot a glance at Alec. She made a move to join her unit, giving them a threatening look.

Alec caught the look on her face and decided that they should not give the rest of Unit 4 and Unit 6 more fodder for gossip. Giving Max a farewell smile, he walked forward to join his unit.

"What? Eavesdropping, are we?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at the looks on his unit's face. Some of them looked sheepish, some just looked positively gleeful.

Biggs came up to him and prodded him in the ribs, "Looks like things are going well between you two," he teased.

Alec gave him a dark look.

* * *

It had been a few month sinceLydecker called the COs in to break the shocking news of Manticore's latest plans for the transgenics, the COs of the various divisions and units were asked to start working on the plan. One by one, they filed in to the briefing room and sat down, looking at each other wordlessly, none of them quite knew how to start.

Jace decided to break the silence.

"So, shall we?" Jace began, scanning the room full of COs.

"I am not too sure how should we do this," Matt admitted, wrinkling his brows as he tried to think.

Max spoke up, "Lydecker did say that we would not be actively participating for a while, but he wanted to know our thoughts on…er…stuff," she finished vaguely, gesturing in the air.

"Do you think that he actually wants our honest, uncensored opinion? Or is this for show only?" Alec asked, doubtful that Manticore actually wanted their prototypes opinion of anything.

Max shrugged at his question, "I guess at some level they do want to know, but whether they will take into account what we say is another matter,"

Alec gave a bark of laughter, "So why the hell are we doing this if all they're going to do is ignore us?" he scoffed.

Jace decided to butt in at this point, "Lydecker gave us an instruction and I suppose we'll have to carry it out, whatever the reason may be. Since when do we refuse to do anything just because there's no good reason for it?"

"Good point, J-, 798," Max managed to just bite back from calling Jace her childhood name, "Maybe we should list that down as our first point. We want in on the actual reason behind missions and stuff. Then at least we will be more informed,"

204 scribbled on the piece of paper in front of him. He had offered to take down the minutes of the meeting. Looking up expectantly, he said, "Next?"

X4-43 raised her hand slightly, "I've got another one. No more testing,"

A rumble of agreement went around the room. None of the transgenics liked to be tested. Not that it happened so often once they became adults.

Jace, however, gave an incredulous snort, "You've got to be kidding. You are asking Manticore to stop testing?"

"You've got to admit that they have done much less testing on us compared to the time when we were kids," Matt said thoughtfully.

"I asked the X6s for their thoughts a couple of days ago, you know, to get their bit for this meeting? It seemed that they did not undergo as many tests as we went through. Manticore must have found another way to do it," Max said.

The psy-ops representative, who called herself Mia, said "Now that you've mentioned it, we tend to do evaluations more on our captives rather than the transgenics. I think the last lot of transgenics we did was the two '09-ers who got recaptured recently. Even then, it was a low level evaluation,"

Max gave the girl an unfriendly look.

Noticing the look Max gave her, Mia said, holding her hands up in defence, "Hey, don't look at me. I was just following orders,"

"She just couldn't stand the thought of her siblings being tortured," Alec said wickedly, thinking of the way Zack spoke to him the last few times they crossed path.

"Shut-up, 494!" Max snapped as she kicked his feet under the table. She grinned in satisfaction when she heard him hiss in pain. Would he never run out of things to taunt her with? She admitted that their relationship was not as abusive as before but he still continued to taunt her on and off. So she reacted; with physical violence.

"Hey, no flirting in the meeting, guys," Matt drawled, earning himself smack on his head from Max's notebook. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said quickly, putting his arms around her to placate her.

Alec narrowed his eyes as he saw Max smile at the gesture. _Couldn't Max leave her fan club behind when she comes to these meetings?_ Irritated at his own reaction, he covered it up with an exaggerated yawn. "Okay, let's not get sidetracked, or we'll be here forever. I, for one, need my beauty sleep," Alec drawled.

Max snorted and gave him a disgusted look. Alec smirked back at her.

"Is there no way to get rid of the testing?" Jace asked, going back to the topic they were discussing.

Mia said thoughtfully, "I am not sure, but recently there's been talk amongst the scientists about this new testing technique they came up with,"

The room fell deathly silent at her words. She looked around in surprise and then realised how it must have sounded to them.

"No, not THOSE tests. These tests are more…non-destructive. Manticore reckons that they have enough test data from live subjects," she explained quickly.

Alec sighed, leaning back in his chair, "Now why doesn't that make me feel any better?" he said.

204 tapped his pen on the table impatiently, "So, should we put this down or not?"

"Can't see the harm in it. All they could do is say no!" Max answered, looking around for support. The rest of the transgenics nodded.

204 noted the item on the sheet of paper, and then said, "Next?"

"I don't know about you guys, but I think so far it's a bit one sided. I mean, it seem to all benefit the transgenics but not Manticore," X4-43 pointed out.

"Don't you think they got enough from us for the last decade?" 204 asked incredulously, making X4-43 wince.

"Well, all of us except for 452 here," Alec mocked, flashing a grin at Max.

Max glared at him but she did not refute his words. It was true, after all. She spent three years less in Manticore than any one of them here.

Alec felt oddly disappointed at her lack of response.

"I think he's got a point though. Maybe it would make them more amenable if we make it look like we are actually thinking of them as well," Mia said, "Basic psychology," she added after a short pause.

"Fine, then. What can we offer that they don't have anyway?" Jace asked, her brows furrowed.

The transgenic sat in silence as they tried to come up with something.

"You know, all we can offer is to do more missions or some sort of side jobs for them. Anyway, that would be good for us since it gets us out and about, instead of being cooped up in here for months on end doing nothing but training," Matt suggested.

"I agree," Mia said, eager to be seen to be on the transgenics' side. She knew that her division, although small, was not the most popular one amongst them.

"Okay, let me put it down as well," 204 said, scribbling on the growing list.

The transgenics continued that way for hours until finally, they had a comprehensive list to hand to Lydecker. Most of the items on the list were for the transgenics' benefit, but they managed to throw in a few so that it seemed to benefit Manticore as well.

Satisfied with the good nights work, the transgenics grinned at each other and went back to their respective dorms.

* * *

In a penthouse in Seattle, a cyber-journalist tapped his fingers impatiently as he waited for the database search on the computer to return a result. His eyes remained fixed to indicator bar on the screen, watching the process until it reached completion. He smiled as the results displayed on the screen.

It was as he suspected.

Manticore was using up billion of dollars of tax-payers money to fund a secret programme training _children_ as soldiers. The cyber-journalist continued reading, the expression on his face a mix of disgust and excitement, as he digested more and more details on Manticore and its activities.

Some of the details were vague, he discovered later in disappointment. He needed more to go on with his work. But he was sure that he was on the right track now. He just needed a little bit more information. He needed names and faces and addresses.

Then Eyes Only, the defender of the downtrodden, would expose the despicable acts committed by Manticore.

**t.b.c**

* * *

A/N: -:grins:- So, how is this chapter? Is it going the way you want it to go? Please review and tell me! 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thank you mel11, Toniboo, kungfuchick, Hellraiser32, calistra, Lotamoxie, Alana84, AngelKougaeri, darkangelgirl, eva, Angel Of Darkness231, angelofdarkness78, NoAngell, GueatTypePerson, lex2u and Sarah for your reviews! I can't answer your individual reviews here now, but… **IMPORTANT**: I have posted responses to _all_ your reviews on www. geocities. com/elle6778/ReviewsRetrieved. htm (just copy, paste and remove the spaces) so you'll still get answers to the questions you asked. I really hope that ffnet remove this rule because it is getting to be really annoying:growls:

A bit of advertisement for my own fics (shameless, I know), if you wish, you could check out RECOLLECTION, my latest story which is the sequel to Remember.

And for those who had reviewed the final chapter of DECEPTION, please find the responses to your reviews on www. geocities. com/elle6778/ReviewsDeception. htm (remember to remove spaces)

* * *

**Retrieved Chapter 21 – The Beginning of Something Beautiful**

(by elle6778)

Alec, Max, Jace, Matt, X5-204, X4-43, Max and Sandy were in the middle of their morning drills when a guard came to inform them that Lydecker wanted to see them in his office.

As they headed towards Lydecker's office, Max found herself walking beside Jace. She wanted to speak to Jace but she did not know how Jace would react. She decided to try anyway.

"So, how are things with Z-…X5-599?" Max asked tentatively.

Jace shot an uncomfortable glance at her, "As well as expected," she replied, a bit bitterly. Then she sighed, weariness marring her face, "Actually, it's not going too well," she admitted.

Max felt sorry for her. She knew how stubborn Zack could be. "I guess that's expected. He hasn't changed much since the escape. He still behaves like a CO, whether in Manticore or not,"

"He's not getting along with anyone. And it makes things really awkward in our unit. I mean, I saw you when you were captured and reassigned," Jace noted Max's look of surprised and continued, "Yes, I know I didn't approach you to talk, but seeing that we are in a different unit and all, it's a bit difficult. Anyway, my point is, you seem to fit back in just fine,"

"He was out there longer than me. Maybe he'll come around," she said, trying to make Jace feel better.

Jace snorted as she gave Max a disbelieving look, "As if you believe that. You know as well as I do that he would not buckle under pressure. It would not be so bad if he does not insist on challenging me all the time. He's such a stickler for rules. I mean, considering that he masterminded something like the escape, you would think that he would be a bit less uptight, right. Instead, he's worse than all of us," She paused to take a breath, then said in a very soft voice only Max can hear, "I think he hated me for staying behind. He thinks I am weak and spineless, and that's why he shows me no respect,"

"Oh come on, you don't believe that. Look at you; you are the CO of your unit," Max said with a reassuring smile.

Jace shook her head slowly, "Yeah, but for how long?" she said softly.

Max did not know how to reply to that, so she kept quiet. She made a mental note to speak to Zack if she saw him. If he consented to speak to her. It was not fair for him to make Jace feel this way.

A few minutes later, they arrived at Lydecker's office. When they entered his office, they found him sitting behind his desk, obviously waiting for them.

"I've called all of you here to brief you on a new mission. X5-452 and X5-312 are here to provide additional information on the mission as they were involved earlier in this," he started without preamble.

Max and Sandy looked at each other. Lydecker must be talking about the mission where they were sent to retrieve a disk. That was the only mission they carried out together.

Catching the looks on Max's face, Lydecker raised his brows and asked, "Yes, 452?"

"Sir, is this to do with the Fogle Towers mission we went on awhile ago?" Max asked for confirmation, wondering what had gone wrong since then. All she and Sandy did was to go in and retrieve a disk. Simple in and out mission without complications.

Lydecker nodded, "Yes, but this new mission will not be a simple retrieval mission," He looked around to make sure the rest of the transgenics were paying attention before he continued, "452 and 312 had successfully retrieved a disk which contains damaging information on Manticore. As you know, Manticore is a secret organisation and its identity should not be made public otherwise there would be serious consequences. However, we realised recently that the disk was just a copy. That means that someone out there has the original one. The objective of this mission, apart from finding the original disk, is to trace the source of this disk to prevent exposure of Manticore,"

When Lydecker paused, Matt spoke. "Sir, this sounds as if it could be quite a long mission,"

"Yes, you would probably have to carry out some infiltration as well," Lydecker pushed a couple of folders across the desk, "All the information we have so far is in here,"

Matt took the one of the folders and Alec took another while Lydecker just stood there.

Slightly confused at the lack of instruction, Alec asked, "Sir, I presume not all of us will be going. So which unit will be responsible for this mission?"

Lydecker gave them a small smile, "I have read the list you handed to me. I got the impression that you would like to be more independent, so I am giving you a chance here to do so. I gave you the reason behind the mission already, so all you have to do now is to plan the mission. You may assign whoever you wish to carry this from any of the X4s and X5s," He turned to Max, "The X6s too, if you find it necessary, but I do not recommend it. They are still relatively inexperience with these sorts of missions,"

The transgenics looked at him in surprise. They did not really expect Manticore to pay much attention to that list. They wondered if things are finally changing for the better.

Matt knew that Lydecker had just said it was up to them to decide but he asked anyway, "Couldn't 452 and 312 go again? They are more familiar with the place,"

Lydecker shook his head, "I would refrain from sending them. Just in case they were caught on the surveillance or something, it's probably better for someone else to go. So? Anymore questions? No? Then we meet here again tomorrow at the same time so you could tell me the mission plan,"

The transgenics nodded and started moving towards the door.

Max's exit was interrupted when Lydecker said, "452, not you,"

When the last of the transgenics had left the room, Max gave Lydecker a questioning look, "Sir?"

"How's the X6s doing under the new programme?" Lydecker asked, studying the girl who had just turned sixteen a few months ago.

"They are performing well, as expected, Sir. I have assigned some of them to go along on some X5 missions," Max replied.

"Good…good…And the two X6s I asked for?"

"They are learning to behave like ordinary children, Sir. They are eager to learn, so it's going well,"

"Will they be ready in a couple of weeks? We need to move them out soon,"

Max nodded, "Yes, they are almost ready now anyway. And Sir? I have a suggestion,"

Lydecker gestured for her to continue.

"I know I have said that they are ready for it, but I feel that it may be a good idea to have a back up considering that this is another long term mission," she suggested, rather tentatively.

Curious as to what Max had come up with this time, Lydecker asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"Someone from the basement," Max stated slowly, trying to gauge Lydecker's reaction to her words.

Lydecker's lips twisted, "I don't think the giant X3s are going to blend in very well," he said in amusement. He had a feeling he did not want to know how Max knew all these transgenics who were locked up in the basement. As far as he knew, she had not been sent there as a punishment for quite some time now.

"Not the X3s, sir. Someone else who is particularly good at stealth," Max said, hiding a smile.

Lydecker raised one eyebrow, "Really? And who is it?"

She had promised them that she would try to get them out of the basement and she intended to keep her words. The X3s, which includes Hulk and Truck were now part of an active unit all by themselves. But there were still others down there. Max took a deep breath and said, "His name is Kelpy…"

* * *

Max grumbled under her breath as she walked into the mess hall. Dinner started thirty minutes ago.

Trailing behind her was two X6s who were with her for the past couple of hours. The two of them were the ones she picked for the new long term assignment which Lydecker had questioned her about a couple of days ago. They were meant to be bodyguards for a certain important person and had to be trained to fit in with the 'ordinaries'. Max had picked these two out of the whole bunch of X6s because they seemed to be more relaxed than the rest, but still as sharp. She had spent the last one week of her recreational time to make sure they talk and behave like normal eleven year olds.

Yesterday, much to the children's fascination, she had introduced Kelpy and Cammy to them. Lydecker had agreed to let Kelpy and Cammy in on the assignment provided they were trained first. Thinking that Lydecker wanted _her_ to spend more of her time training the others, Max was about to slump in dejection at the thought of _more _workwhen he finally suggested someone else.

Alec.

Max tried not to groan as she realised that this would mean she and Alec would be spending a bit more time together for the next couple of weeks. No doubt this latest development would send Unit 4 and Unit 6 into a fresh fit of gossip. They were teasing her mercilessly ever since that morning in the dorms after Sandy's heat incident. And worse still, she could do nothing about it. Threats of physical violence did not seem to faze any of them. Feeling vindictive, Max hoped that Alec was having just as tough a time as her with his unit.

Max sighed as she scanned the thinning crowd in the mess hall, hoping that there's some food left for her. There were not that many X5s left in the mess hall. She saw Alec, Jondy, a couple of others from unit 6 and unit 3, Zack included. Even the guards had left them to their own devices. She forced her eyes not to linger on Alec, who she noticed, was chatting to Jondy. She noted that Jondy seemed happy enough being back in Manticore, considering how she sat there laughing with Alec. Max narrowed her eyes as Jondy raised her hand to brush something off Alec's cheek._ Is Jondy interested in Alec? _Max wondered, trying not to feel jealous. She shook herself inwardly. _Nah, Jondy just flirts with everyone, so it does not mean anything, _the saner part of her insisted.

Tearing her eyes away from the couple, she caught sight of a lone Gab, who was waving her over. She headed in his direction while the X6s went over to their own table.

"Hey," Gab greeted as she sat down.

Max grunted a reply, too tired and hungry to form a coherent answer. Not to mention confused about her reaction to Alec and Jondy. She told herself not to dwell on Alec and Jondy's 'relationship'. So what if there was something going on? It was not any of her business anyway.

"What's with the long face, Max?" Gab asked as he noticed her disgruntled look. He pushed a tray towards her; it was filled with odd bits of food, courtesy of unit 4.

"Sick and tired of missing dinner and of training the kids," Max replied, gratefully pulling the tray towards her. She noticed that it contained some potatoes, a small piece of chicken, some vegetables and an orange. It wasn't much, but it would keep her going for a while.

Gab nodded as expected, knowing inside that for all Max's complaints, she actually enjoyed working with the kids. "Well, it's been just a month. You'll get used to all that responsibility," he advised.

"Don't need all that extra work," Max replied in between shoving her food in her mouth hungrily.

"Say, talk about responsibility, you missed something earlier," Gab told her with a grin.

Max looked up, "What?"

"Yours truly is now Second In Command for Unit 4," Gab said, puffing up proudly.

Max pretended to choke on her food. Coughing, she exclaimed, "What! You?" She was really happy for him, but she could not help herself teasing him.

Gab gave her an offended look, "What's wrong with me?" He got up and turned to leave, letting Max see his hurt expression before facing away from her.

Max laid a hand on Gab's back, stilling him. Sobering instantly, she said, "Hey, I am just kidding," She did not mean to hurt Gab's feelings. She thought he would react in his usual manner, teasing her back or something.

Max eyed him, worried as his shoulders shook a bit. _He wasn't about to cry, was he?_ "Gab? You okay?" she asked gently.

His shoulders shook harder, and then he burst out in laughter. He turned back, taking in Max's surprised look.

Max narrowed her eyes and proceeded to smack him on the shoulders, "You idiot! You really got me worried there for a moment,"

Gab held his hands out, trying to fend off Max's blows as he tried not to choke on his laughter.

"Hey, is this a private party or can we join in?" a voice said.

It was Jondy, looking at Max and Gab with an expression of unholy glee. With her looking at them like that, Max's bad feelings about her and Alec evaporated. _Jondy is just being Jondy,_ she thought.

Max paused her assault on Gab, who was now on his hands and knees on the floor. She grinned back, "Feel free to join in," she said mischievously, holding a wide-eyes Gab down.

"NO!" Gab yelled, trying to get away as he registered the evil gleam in Jondy's eyes. Just Max was enough. Adding Jondy into the equation was a bit more than he could handle. He continued to struggle as Jondy advanced, "Help!" he yelled breathlessly as Jondy started to tickle him.

A pair of boots came into his view. Gab let his watering eyes travel up the body to the face, "Alec! Get these two crazy females away from me!"

Alec shook his head, grinning, "Tsk…tsk…You've got every man's best dream; two chicks at once. And you can't handle it," He stood there watching Gab writhe pitifully under Max's and Jondy's assault.

"Shit! Man, I am going to kill you if you don't do something!" Gab threatened Alec from his vulnerable position, apparently not understanding that he was in no position to make any threats. He tried to grab hold of Jondy's arms, but with no luck. They were too strong.

"Okay…okay…I'll try," Alec relented, still grinning as he reached for Max.

Spotting Alec's move, Max stilled and gave him a warning look, "Don't you dare, Alec. Or suffer the same fate,"

Alec smirked, "You think you could hold me down as easily? I think not," he said, not realising how much that sounded like a challenge to Max.

Max got up slowly, leaving Jondy to deal with Gab alone. Slowly, she took a step towards Alec, "Shall we see?" she said, just before she pounced suddenly on him.

Not expecting Max to jump on him, Alec fell backwards and landed on his back. _Shit_, he thought, trying to roll away to find himself pinned under Max. Max was grinning down at him, seated comfortably on his stomach. His eyes widened in panic as her hands reached down to his ribs.

He clamped his mouth shut to suppress his laugher as her fingers started tickling him. He tried to grab her hands but she was too fast. She continued tickling him, a gleeful look on her face.

Then he decided to fight fire with fire.

Max yelped as she felt his fingers at her sides tickling her. He caught her by surprise; she did not expect him to retaliate. She should have known, she thought, giggling hysterically as his fingers moved.

"Stop!" she gasped, wriggling helplessly. She tried to get up but he had his legs wrapped around her thighs, holding her down. Max tried not to notice how intimate their position was.

She shut her eyes to try to stop her tears of laugher from seeping through. After one particularly vigorous tickle, Max slumped forwards, still writhing helplessly. Her eyes opened to find herself a fraction of an inch from Alec's, who was looking at her intently.

She could not tear her eyes away; it was as if they were drawn to Alec's by some sort of magnet stronger than her will. Her eyes were still locked onto Alec's when she pressed her lips onto his. Almost involuntarily, she moved her lips, deepening the kiss, her eyes fluttering shut.

* * *

Alec could not believe what was happening. One minute he was tickling her, trying his best to ignore his response to her movements over his hips. Another minute she was lying over him and kissing him.

_Max was kissing him voluntarily_, he gasped against her mouth in shock.

He closed his eyes, getting lost in the feelings she evoked. Desire, joy, deliriousness, all his feelings were meshed up he did not know quite how to describe it. The fact that she initiated the kiss made it even more intense for him.

His arms curled around her back, pressing her closer to him as he delved deeper. She moaned against his mouth, sending tingles up and down his spine.

"Hey, you two! Get a room, will you!" A sudden loud voice jolted him rudely, followed by laughter.

Still sprawled on the floor, Alec looked up to find Gab and Jondy standing over them, grinning cheekily. Some other X5s and X6s were standing nearby too, laughing as they wolf-whistled. Alec sent them a glare.

Alec felt an unreasonable desire to get up and punch them all senseless for daring to interrupt him and Max.

He glanced at Max, noting that she was averting her flushed face from his as she scrambled off him.

* * *

Scrambling to her feet, Max gave the giggling transgenics around her a death glareand snapped, "What are you all looking at!"

Apparently her glare was more effective than Alec's as the transgenics turned away and resumed whatever they were doing prior to spotting Max and Alec. Or it could be that the effectiveness of Alec's glare was reduced by the fact that he was still lying on the floor when he glared at them. Even Gab and Jondy stopped their sniggering and went off, leaving them two some modicum of privacy.

She groaned in embarrassment when she realised what she did. She could not believe she just kissed Alec. And in public as well. She knew that she only have herself to blame because she initiated the kiss. Nevermind that he did not stop her. She realised that from now on, it would be near impossible for her to look at Alec in the eye without this incident popping into her head; at least for a while. She wondered how she was going to get herself out of this mess now.

He, on the other hand, did not appear too fazed at what just happened. Instead, he was eyeing her with an odd expression on his face, Max noted uncomfortably and then quickly shifted her gaze away from him.

Clearing her throat, she said, still not looking at him, "Well, can you manage to get up by yourself or are you actually waiting for a hand?"

Alec's lips twisted in a small smile, "I can manage, I think. Just needed a couple to catch my breath," He paused, and then continued seriously, "Great kiss, though,"

Embarrassed, her gaze remained averted from him, but her lips twitched although she did not respond to his words.

Trying to break the silence, Alec continued in a thoughtful tone while biting back a smile, "You realise that this could be the beginning of something beautiful for us?"

Max finally looked at him, blinking incredulously at his words. "What! Don't you even start!"

Pushing himself off the floor to stand facing Max, Alec grinned, "Calm down, okay. Don't give them more things to talk about," he said, pointing to Gab and Jondy.

The two transgenics were standing quite far away but Max could see them sneaking glances at herself and Alec. Max clenched her jaw as she vowed to kill them during their training session tonight.

"I guess we better go now," she said, suddenly finding her boots quite fascinating.

Alec nodded, "See you around," he said almost gently.

Max waited for him to leave before she looked up again and started to make her way to the door.

After a couple of minutes she realised that there was someone behind her while she was walking down the hallway heading towards her dorms. Exasperated, she started to turn around when she said, "Alec, I don't think…" She halted as she realised that it wasn't Alec behind her.

It was Zack.

"Hi, Max," her ex-CO greeted her with an unreadable expression.

"Zack," Max returned softly. Then she gave him a wary look, wondering what he wanted. This was the first time he made an attempt to speak to her after being assigned to Jace's unit.

"What did you think you were doing back there?" Zack questioned.

"Huh? What do you mean?" she frowned in confusion.

"Don't be dense. The whole mess hall saw it," he exclaimed, sounding irritated.

Max finally realised what he was talking about. A feeling of annoyance grew in her as she wondered what business was it of his. She replied evenly, "So? What's with it?"

"That's a very unprofessional and unnecessary public display," he stated, his voice indicating his growing irritation.

Max could not believe what she was hearing. Not only Zack had done this to Jace, now he wanted to do it to her? Incensed, she snapped, "It's nothing to do with you, Zack,"

His eyes hardened, "Not if you do this in the private, not in public. But since I am subjected to watching it, I have to say that I feel that I have to say something,"

"No, Zack. I don't have to listen to you. Neither does Jace. You are not our CO anymore," Max bit out, recalling her conversation with Jace and how upset Jace was.

Rearing back at her words, Zack growled, "You forgot everything that we went through? You forgot what I had to do to get us all out of here seven years ago? And worse still, now you seem to be happy enough to remain. What happened to you, Max?" He gave her an accusing look.

"Nothing happened! I got used to it in here alright! I am much happier here than when I was out there, scared and hungry all the time," Max defended. She did not particularly want to argue about this with Zack but she had no choice.

"So you think that leaving in the first place was a mistake?" he challenged, his eyes flashing.

Max crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him calmly, "I am not going to answer that. It's all in the past and I prefer not to think about it,"

"Of all our siblings, I thought you would understand, Max. But I see now that you don't," he said, glaring at her; his expression a mix of anger and hurt.

Max's eyes widened as Zack moved closer to her. He looked angry enough to hit her.

* * *

**t.b.c.** (Yes! Cliffies are back! I have been sufferingfrom withdrawal for the last few chapters! LOL)

A/N: I will be sitting here, waiting impatiently for you to tell me what you think of this chapter :Grins: So _please_ review! I am practically on my knees here…

Responses to reviews for Retrieved at www. geocities. com/elle6778/ReviewsRetrieved. htm

Responses to reviews for Deception at www. geocities. com/elle6778/ReviewsDeception. htm


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: I am still confused about the review thing, actually. I have looked through the rules etc on ffnet and couldn't find anything that forbids responding to reviews. Anyway, I am going to carry on until I see something concrete…

**Mel11** - :grins: Of course cliffies are back, I was dying of withdrawal, LOL! Will Zack hit her? You'll soon see! Thanks for reviewing.

**AngelKougaeri** – Hmm…I'm not sure I want Max to harm Zack's pretty ass! And Zack? Evil? Now why would you think that:grins: Thanks for reviewing.

**Calistra** – Zack needs to realize a lot of things, and it's probably going to be a painful process for him :sigh, but we'll see! Thanks for reviewing.

**Toniboo** – It's that obvious, huh! Glad you liked the chapter. Hopefully Max and Alec will have another opportunity to kiss soon :grins:. Thanks for your review.

**W1cked angel** – Ah, the joys of first love… And yep, you might be right in your assessment of their feelings. But you know what they are like. The whole thing will take forever to resolve. Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick **– You really want Max in heat, don't you, LOL! Well, it's coming soon but only in about 2 or 3 chapters time, probably! Max is 16, Alec 17, Gab 17...I lost track of the rest already:sighs! Kelpy is about 5 years older and the X6s about 5 years younger. As for Kelpy, I thought it's a bit of a waste of talent to leave him in the basement! Thanks for your review!

**Reivyn** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked it and hope you'll keep on reading.

**Darkangelgirl **– Ah, I thought it was time for Max to relieve some of the pent up UST, LOL! Gab and Jondy is still at the early stage of their 'courtship', so there'll be some pain involved, hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Ro** – Glad you liked the setting for the kiss! Yeah, I know…I even got irritated _writing_ about Zack in the last couple of chapters. As for Zack and Max? Hmm…you have to read on to find out :grins: Thanks for your review.

**Angelofdarkness78** – Thanks for reviewing. Yes, the only way Zack could survive in Manticore was to revert back to his training. ;P Whether or not he's going to hit her…you'll find out soon!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Grrr! I _missed_ your reviews! How could you do this to me:mutters: Ah well, you are forgiven since you reviewed the last chapter, lol! I was beginning to think that your sister did something to you, hehe! Or maybe those spiders you are so fond of got hold of you!

**Lakergirl08** – Zack? You're right, there's no way he could condone Max kissing Alec, LOL! Whether he has feelings for Max or not remains to be seen, hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Rita** – Yep! Max and Alec finally, but of course something else must come in their way:grins: And Zack just happened to be around! Thanks for reviewing! And oh, thanks for reviewing my fic in affnet too. :)

**Angel of Darkness231** – Nah, it's not THAT evil, LOL! Zack kisses Max? Erm…you'll see! And how could you think I would even let Alec kick Zack's beautiful ass? That's illegal! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**NoAngell** – Max harbours feelings for Alec, and having Alec so close when they're not actually fighting just made her lose her control. I mean, if I'm Max, I wouldn't be able to help myself too, LOL! And I have plans for Zack, so keep on reading! Thanks for reviewing!

**HoneyX5-452** – MZ? As in romantically involved? Hmm…I'm not sure that's going to happen, but we'll see! And thanks for telling me about the reviews. Have I missed reviewing your stuff:scratches head: I thought I reviewed them…

**Pixie Wildfire** – Glad to have made your day with that kiss :grins:. And of course Zack, the macho ex-CO, is definitely going all _grrr_. It's his Max we're talking about here! Thanks for reviewing!

**Sarah** – Thanks for your review. And are you reading my mind or something? I swear, you seem to know what's going through my head _most _of the time, LOL! I must TRY harder now!

**GuestTypePerson** – You realize that you didn't even bother writing your name in the last review? Hehe! But the minute I read of the bookcarts, I realized that it was you! Why are you not working in the library anymore? Transgenic or not, Zack is still a teenage male, so he's not really seeing the picture here, hence the pissiness! LOL! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Ah, Gab loves being attacked :grins:. Max just had a momentary loss of control when she kissed Alec! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alec'sAngel494** – Deck Zack? Hmm…you'll see :winks! Glad you liked the kiss. Thanks for reviewing!

**Spanishwon2123** – Thanks for your kind words! And I am glad it made you laugh, lol, considering that humour is not my strong point!

**Lex2u** – Yeah, Zack is behaving rather weird about all the rules, I know. You'll find out soon why. Poor guy:grins: Glad you liked the cliffies and thanks for reviewing!

**Eva** – Yes! Finally more MA action, as requested by you all! LOL! Glad you approved! Thanks for reviewing!

**L80bug **– Thanks for your review…and here's the update! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 22 - Falling**

(by elle6778)

Max's eyes widened as Zack moved closer to her. He looked angry enough to hit her.

"What do you think you are doing, Zack?" she asked, trying to keep her apprehension out of her voice. She stood her ground, not backing away as he came closer.

When he was just inches from her, he stopped and bit out, "You have any idea how much I would have done to keep you safe? How far I would go? I guess not, considering all that has happened in the last one year,"

Max could see that he was barely controlling his temper. "Zack, please try to understand. It's not like we are ungrateful or anything. But we cannot keep ourselves stuck in the past. Jace, for example, is the CO of her own unit now. You looked out for her since she was a kid, so aren't you happy at all for her?" Max tried to appeal to his 'brotherly' side, swallowing her own annoyance at his behaviour.

"Happy for her? Happy that she's stuck here in this hellhole?" Zack practically shouted as he clenched his hands into fists.

Her patience wearing thin, Max snapped, "Zack, you're the only one who seems to be stuck in a hellhole of your own making. Just in case you haven't noticed, the rest of us are doing fine in here,"

"I can see that. Especially you and that X5-494," he sneered; his disgust apparent.

Max narrowed her eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?" Her temper was beginning to boil. She could not understand why Zack was making such a big fuss about the kiss. Granted, it was not particularly 'professional', but it was not as if they were in the middle of a mission or something.

Angry, Zack slammed his hands on the wall on either side of Max's head, making her flinch. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face. Leaning in to her further, he hissed, "You don't get it, do you? You still don't get how I fe-"

Unwilling to be trapped between his arms, Max shoved Zack roughly away from her, interrupting his words. Max refused to let herself be intimidated but his close proximity and his actions were sending alarms blaring in her head. Zack was behaving strangely and she was not sure how she should deal with it.

In a deceptively soft voice, she ground out, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Zack?"

Zack did not answer her question.

Instead he grabbed her arm roughly, "Listen…"

"No!" Max hissed, shoving him off her again. In reflex, she found herself in a fight stance.

Zack noticed the way she held herself, "So, you think you can take me on?" he taunted softly. He clenched his fists by his side.

"I don't want to, Zack. But I am not standing still while you manhandle me," Max replied evenly, noticing a flash of something akin to remorse in Zack's eyes before his face became as emotionless as a piece of granite.

"Let's see what you are made out of, huh, soldier!" he challenged, circling her.

Max told herself that what they were doing was stupid. She did not want to fight Zack and she's quite sure that if Zack was in his right mind, he would not want to fight her either. But she knew that neither of them felt particularly sane right then. She was angry that Zack seemed to be butting in everywhere; criticising everything. And Zack? She guessed that Zack felt betrayed by her and Jace. And also probably because he had no other way of releasing his frustrations. That was probably why he kept hassling them about everything, whether he meant it or not.

She knew that she could not make herself attack the brother who had protected her fiercely all those times when she was a child in Manticore. She wondered if she could even make herself fight back in self-defence. So Max stood her ground as she waited for Zack to make the first move.

It did not come.

Slowly, he lowered his fists, keeping them clenched by his side. He did not look at her. Instead, his eyes were fixed to some unseen distant point.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Look, Max… I just don't understand what happened to you. You are so different from before…"

Max swallowed as she heard the pain in his voice, "Zack, I told you. I think I got used to it here, and things are not that bad now,"

"I can't believe you are still defending Manticore," Zack said, his anger barely contained.

Pacing her breath to keep her calm, she said softly, "Zack, please think about what you are doing. You are not just hurting yourself but others around you. Others, who once upon a time, you claim to care about,"

Not waiting for him to answer, she turned around and continued her journey back to her dorm, leaving Zack to glare at her retreating back.

* * *

Zack stood in line with the rest of Unit 3 as they went through their morning drills, going through the motion with only half his mind on the drills. He was feeling particularly edgy today, probably because he stayed up all night thinking about what happened between him and Max.

He shot a discreet glance towards the end of the training grounds. Max was leading the X6s in their drills. She got half of them in a group of four, with one X6s blindfolded. The blindfolded X6s was meant to block any blows which came his way from the other three. Zack figured that she must be training them to improve their senses; using everything apart from the visual one. The other half of the X6s division was undergoing reflex training. They were divided into two lines; the transgenic in one of the lines throwing what appeared to be a blunt knife at their counterpart standing in the other line. Their counterpart then was meant to catch the knife at its handle and throw it back.

As Zack watched Max, he could not help but admire the way she handled the X6s. Zack noted that the X6s were following her orders not because they were expected to or that they were intimidated, but they did it because they liked and respected her.

Once, he was respected. Now he was shunned because he led his unit to what he considered as safety at that time. He did not regret his decision to escape. Because he knew that if he did not, Manticore would probably end up killing Max like what they did to Jack.

She accused him of being stuck in a hellhole of his own making. He could not admit it then, but when he thought about it, he realised that she was right. He knew that he had not reacted well under the Jace's command, and that resulted in the entire Unit 3 basically ignoring him. And that hurt, especially considering that everyone had always looked up to him, even when he was out of Manticore. He guessed that it some ways, it was the reason why he tried even harder to regain control.

His mind went back to Max. He still could not get over how different she was.

At one time, Max was all his. Yes, he shared her with the rest of Unit 2, but she had always come to him when she was in trouble. She needed him then, and now she no longer needed him. She has her own friends, own responsibilities and even her own guy.

Zack's mood blackened further as the image of Alec kissing Max crossed his mind.

* * *

He sat in the cafe where they last met.

_White was late again_, he fumed, glancing at his watch. He decided that he was going to wait just another fifteen minutes, and then he would leave.

Five minutes later, White, complete with his trademark black suit, stepped into the café as if he owned it. White walked to his table and sat down opposite him.

"It's about time," he said shortly.

White sneered, "Some of us have more important things to do,"

"Are you saying that you are not interested in hearing what I've got for you?"

White's expression was unreadable when he said, "All I want to know is when are you going to find me Sandeman,"

"I am getting closer. The disk you gave me was hard to crack; it was well protected,"

"So?" White said, sounding disinterested.

"I may have some clue as to where he might be," he smiled, extracting a sheet of paper from his pocket and unfolded it, "I have extrapolated the data from the disk and found some interesting things. Manticore own several buildings under different names,"

White raised his eyebrows, "Are you saying that Sandeman may be located in one of them?"

He nodded, "Many of them appear to be unoccupied, but we'll never know for sure until we investigate. How about if you… "

Seeing where Cale was heading to with this line of conversation, White interrupted, "I do not want my involvement made public. So you have to deal with it in your own way. I gave you the means to do it. Now do it,"

"But…"

White interrupted again, "I am confident that as the ever resourceful Logan Cale, you would be able to come up with something. If all fails, you could ask for help from your _friend_ Eyes Only," White gave him a smile which reminded him of a hissing cobra.

Surprised, Logan asked, "How did you know…"

"I, too, have my own resources," White smirked, pushing his chair back as he stepped away from the table, "Now, contact me only when you have something definite to tell me,"

White walked out without waiting for Logan's answer.

Sighing in resignation, Logan picked up his cellphone and dialled.

"Hi, Asha…It's Logan …"

* * *

As he made his way to the basement, Alec grumbled under his breath, wondering why of all the COs, Lydecker must choose him to train the anomalies. When Lydecker told him, he had agreed reluctantly. Not that he could actually refuse anyway. But it meant the loss of his recreation time, which he was still feeling sore about.

At least the anomalies, Kelpy and Cammy, were fun to be around. For the last couple of days, he had been passing on what he thought were the relevant skills for being a bodyguard, having being assigned similar missions countless times previously.

Initially, he was surprised at the speed Kelpy and Cammy managed to digest all the information. Then he realised that however strange their 'skills' were, they were still transgenics and like the X-series, were also pumped full off all sorts of good stuff.

That was not the only thing which surprised him. When Lydecker had told them that Kelpy and Cammy were anomalies, Alec had fully expected to be faced with some odd looking creature. But then he found that Kelpy and Cammy look just like any regular human being, except when they decided to blend into their surroundings.

When he reached the basement, he went to the cells which he knew housed Kelpy and Cammy. He indicated to the guards to open the two cell doors and waited for them to emerge.

He wondered if Lydecker knew that the locks on the cell doors were ineffective on these basement dwellers. He suspected Lydecker knew, but he could not be sure. Lydecker was not like Renfro. On occasions, Alec could have sworn that Lydecker actually possessed a sense of humour. Alec was still reeling from the changes that happened within Manticore in the last one year since they found out Renfro was assassinated. The transgenics now had more independence than they had before and were treated marginally better since Lydecker took command.

"Okay, guys, let's go meet the kids," he said with a grin.

* * *

Alec pushed the door to the gym open and walked in with Kelpy and Cammy. Max was already there with the two X6s she named Dani and Tom. He smiled, thinking that at least the two kids received relatively normal names. Could have been worse; like Trumpet or something.

He knew why he felt so cheerful these few days.

It was because of Max.

He suspected some time ago that he had some feelings for her, but he never truly admitted it to himself. He just always felt that he had to tease her to get closer to her every time they met. He recalled the last time he made a move to kiss her and received a slap in return for his efforts. That was when he realised for sure that he has a problem, namely Max. Considering how she treated him and how she's always surrounded by other males, he did not think that she was interested. He was not sure that Max felt the same way until a few days ago, when she kissed him out of her own volition. Alec smiled inwardly as he recalled the feelings she brought up in him with the kiss.

"Hey, Maxie," he greeted cheerfully. _She would kill him if she knew what he was thinking of_, he mused. _Or maybe not._

Oblivious to his thoughts, Max, who was in the middle of trying to teach Dani and Tom how to play basketball, turned around at Alec's voice. Their kiss in the mess hall was still fresh in her mind. Schooling her face carefully to hide her embarrassment, she smiled at him, Kelpy and Cammy.

"Hi, guys!" She gave Alec a fleeting glance before shifting her attention to Kelpy and Cammy, "So how's the training going?" she asked them.

Kelpy grinned, "Anything is better than being stuck in the basement without anything to do,"

Cammy nodded in agreement. Then, smiling slyly, she said, "Your boy here is not too bad a teacher, either,"

Face reddening, Max sputtered, "He's not my boy!" she protested. Max swore she's going to kill her unit for this. Who else could have told Kelpy and Cammy about Alec? Max scowled as she realised what must have happened. Gab saw them…then Gab told Unit 4…and then Unit 4 told Kelpy and Cammy. _Gossip mongers!_

Cammy clucked and looked at Kelpy, "I think she protest too much, don't you think?"

Kelpy laughed.

The two X6s, Dani and Tom, observed their exchange with undisguised interest.

Max groaned as she realised that Dani and Tom were also there in the mess hall when she kissed Alec. She had hoped that they would forget about it. _Fat chance!_ It was embarrassing enough to face Alec without having everyone teasing them about.

Alec cleared his throat, "I'm still here, you know," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. He wanted to join in with the teasing but he suspected that it would not earn him any points with Max. So he decided to keep quite; at least until they found themselves alone.

Max glared at him, "Yes! We noticed. Now can we get on with training? Haven't got much time, you know," she said, desperately trying to change the subject. She gritted her teeth, telling herself not to blush.

Sensing that Max would not tolerate any more teasing, Kelpy and Cammy nodded.

"So what are we doing today?" Kelpy asked, quite excited.

Alec turned to Max, his expression thoughtful, "I was thinking sparring. Kelpy and Cammy need to practice. What do you think?"

Relieved that the focus was no longer on her and Alec, Max nodded in agreement, "Okay, Kelpy, you pair up with Tom and Cammy with Dani. Alec and I will just observe and give pointers,"

Kelpy and Cammy went towards their pairs and started their sparring with basic moves.

Max eyed the X6s who were sparring against Kelpy and Cammy. It was quite an amusing sight, considering that the X6s were about eleven years old hence about ten years younger than Kelpy and Cammy. But what they lacked in size, they made up in skill.

"Have you told Jondy and Biggs about the mission yet?" Max asked suddenly remembering their meeting that morning. Jondy, Biggs and Gab were chosen to go on the infiltration mission. Matt was away on another short mission, so she would have to tell Gab. She grinned inwardly as she envisaged the look on his face when he finds out that he's going on a mission with Jondy.

Alec shook his head, "I'll do it after this, during dinner," he paused and mumbled under his breath, "If there's any food left, that is,"

Hearing what he said, Max laughed, "Only two days of missing dinner and you are already complaining? I've been doing this almost two weeks now,"

Alec studied her carefully before grinning, "Yeah, you seem to have lost some weight,"

Gasping, Max smacked his shoulders, sending the X6s into giggles. The X6s quickly sobered up and went back to their training when Max shot them a look.

Lips twitching in amusement, Alec remarked, "You know, I never would have guessed that you'll be so good with the kids. You have a very effective glare,"

Max snorted, "That glare doesn't seem to work on some people," She looked at him pointedly.

Alec made a surprised face, "Me? Nah, of course it doesn't work on me. You want to know why?" he dangled the question with a cheeky grin. He knew she would be curious to see what was on his mind.

Max knew she was going to regret asking but she did it anyway, "Why?" she asked warily.

His grin grew as he moved his lips closer to her ears, "Because you're cute when you glare, and I like it," he replied in a whisper.

Reddening, Max wanted to shriek in annoyance, "Ugh! You…you're just unbelievable!" she yelled, exasperated. She pushed him away from her and backed away, determined to keep a large distance between them. She told herself that she did not want a repeat of what happened yesterday.

"Is that good or bad?" he asked, chuckling as he took note of her flustered look. He's getting more and more convinced that she shared his feelings. She would not be so bothered if she did not feel anything for him.

Max refused to answer. Instead, she pointedly ignored him and turned to face the two pairs of sparring transgenics.

"Max?" he prompted, his eyes gleaming with mirth.

"Shut up!" Max hissed irritably. She did not know if she was more irritated at him for teasing her or irritated at herself for wanting to smile stupidly up at him for complimenting her.

Alec grinned, then relented, "Okay, I guess we better get to work, huh?" he said, frowning when he noticed that Kelpy had Tom in an unfamiliar lock-hold. _Where has he learn that from?_ Gesturing towards Kelpy, he looked at Max and asked, "I'm guessing that you taught him…that?"

Sheepishly, Max nodded, "Yeah, Kelpy sometimes joins in when Gab and I when we train,"

Alec's shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Then do you mind telling me why Lydecker thought it's necessary for me to train them? And to deprive me of my recreational time?"

Max rolled her eyes, "Because he does not know that Kelpy has been training with us!"

"Ah!" Alec nodded in understanding.

Max narrowed her eyes. _Was he teasing her?_ She forced herself to ignore him.

Yawning, Alec said, "Okay, I'm just going to sit right here. Wake me up when you are done, okay?"

"Huh?" Max turned around to see Alec lying on the table, eyes closed. She shook her head in resignation.

_Why must it be_ _him she's falling for?_

Max groaned and mentally slapped herself when she realised what she was thinking about.

* * *

Max waited until Unit 4 were all present in the Recreational Room before she decided to inform Gab of his mission. She knew that Gab would not be too happy about it, but she did not anticipate the strength of his reaction.

"_WHAT_?" Gab yelled; his eyes wide, "You are pulling my leg, right? You're just trying to get back at me for teasing you about that kiss with Alec, right?_ RIGHT_?" he asked in horror. This could not be true. Max did not just tell him that he was going away on a _long term_ mission with _Jondy!_

Biting her lips to stop herself from laughing at Gab's horrified expression, Max shook her head.

"Why? There are so many other X5s around. Blade could do it. He has he same skills as I do," Gab offered quickly, pointing at Blade.

"No thanks, man! I don't like long term missions, and besides, I've just got back from one," Blade said, barely looking up from the game of pool he had going with Zip.

Looking around frantically, Gab spotted Treve and said, "How about Treve? Treve's good at this sort of things,"

"No!" Treve insisted firmly from the couch he was sitting on.

"What about Val?"

"Val's not into explosive and weapons," Max stated calmly.

"How about you, Max?" he turned towards her with a pleading look.

Max sighed in exasperation, "Gab, live with it already, okay? It's too late to go back to Lydecker now and change things. You are going and that's it," she said firmly.

"But it's a long term mission! And Jondy will be there! I can't believe you did this to me!" he complained mournfully. He really did not want to go on the mission. Not after what happened between last night.

"Don't worry. Biggs will be there to protect you from the big, bad, scary Jondy," Max said with a grin as the rest of the transgenics laughed at her words.

"You know, Max. It's not funny," Gab bit out, sounding angry.

Muttering under his breath, Gab shot her a glare before storming out of the room. The door to the room slammed shut with a resounding bang.

Now silent, the rest of the transgenics gaped at his departure. It was unlike Gab to exhibit such a large reaction to a mission, or to anything.

"Wow…" Cass said softly, breaking the silence.

"What's eating him?"

"What does he have against Jondy?"

"Is Gab alright?"

"Should someone go after him?"

The room began to buzz with questions on Gab's uncharacteristic behaviour.

Max looked at them and shrugged. She wondered if his behaviour was really because Jondy was assigned to that mission as well. Max frowned. She knew that Jondy had been teasing him, but that was no reason to be so pissed off.

_Maybe I ought to go talk to Jondy,_ she thought.

Deciding that she should get it over with while the entire thing was fresh in her mind, Max walked towards the hallway which led to Unit 6's dorms. She had not spoken to Jondy since that night in the mess hall and she really wanted to talk to Jondy. Not just about Gab, but also about Zack.

Zack's behaviour worried her. She did not know what to make of it. It was strange that of all people, he was the one who was still so uptight about rules and regulations. Max suspected that it was a front; Zack's defence system. He was used to being in control for so long that he just could not accept his position now. And Max did not know how to deal with him anymore, considering that the first time she met him after the escape was when she rescued him during a mission she went on.

_Maybe Jondy would know what to do,_ Max thought. After all, Jondy had been in contact with him longer than she had.

As she approached her destination, she noticed that someone else was walking stealthily ahead of her in the same direction.

Max was about to turn around a corner when she realised who it was.

_What was Gab doing skulking around here?_

* * *

**t.b.c.** (Hehe! What's up with Gab!)

A/N: So, I was sitting around thinking one day, then I realised that I should tell you something. All the reviews you sent me had played a huge part in helping to shape the story…so THANK YOU so much! The story wouldn't have lasted so long without you. Now, I think I had better stop my sappy sentimental ramblings before I embarrass myself! What do you think of this chapter, please review and make my day! Thanks!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Hey you wonderful people out there, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! And by the way, this chapter is extra long - you have been warned! Hehe!

**Calistra **– Thanks for reviewing. Yep, Zack suddenly realized that he might be going overboard!

**Amelya **– Thanks for your review. What's bugging Zack? Hmm…Manticore, Max, Alec, Jace…:grins:

**Angel of Darkness231** – lol! I like your pairings for Jondy. One of them is right, though! You'll find out soon anyway! Thanks for reviewing.

**Pixie Wildfire** – Ah, Gab and Jondy fireworks…I feel bad for Zack too, but I promise he'll settle down after a while, like in a few chapters! Thanks for your review.

**Mel11** – Don't worry, you'll find out what's up with Gab soon! Zack needs a bit more time :sigh: But things will be okay for him later on. Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick **– Nah, it's not weird and I promise you that it will happen, just not yet. The heat scenes are quite hard to write, so I am waiting for the right slot! Thanks for reviewing.

**Spanishwon2123 **– Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked the chapter. More Max and Alec coming up and of course, Gab :grins:

**AngelKougaeri **– Hehe! Yep, Gab's mixed up alright. As for Max, she's in her usual state of denial the past few chapters, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie** – Thanks for reviewing here and at NWP. Uh yes, I suppose it's surprising that Jondy was sent out so soon, but the selection was done by the transgenics, not Lydecker. Zack will never really come to terms with Manticore, I think…:sighs:

**Iridescent Twilight** – You got great imagination, lol! Nesting in your corpse! Crunchy spiders? Ugh! It's about time Max and Alec got together, lol! And for Zack, I like the guy too, but I can't find a way to make him happy being back in Manticore. But I promise you, he'll have a happy ending as well:grins: Thanks for reviewing!

**Ro **– Max and Alec's definite growing closer by the chapter! As for Gab and Jondy, you'll find out soon what's going on. You are kind of right, though, hehe! Thanks for your review!

**Lex2u **– You think Max will get it? She's the queen of denial! LOL! Like the way she doesn't get it about Zack as well! She has a one track mind and it's telling her that Zack is her brother, hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl** – Thanks for your review! Not to worry, MA moments coming up in this chapter and you might get your wish yet :winks! Gab and Jondy's situation will become clearer in this chapter.

**Alana84 **– Zack? He likes her and he hates Manticore and Alec, hehe! Jondy and Gab have some issues to sort out, you'll find out more in this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Nah, she'll have a heart attack if Zack kisses her (in this story, anyway!) Well, if I could get my hands on Zack, I might be willing to LEND him to you for some TLC, lol! He's really cute, isn't he? About Gab and Jondy? Hehe! You might be right in a way! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alec'sAngel494** – Ah…the love stories of the transgenics in Manticore. I thought everyone should have a partner! Thanks for reviewing.

**Toniboo** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the update and the MA interaction. There's more coming up! Enjoy!

**Latinapotterfan** – Hehe! You might get your wish, but not so soon! But you'll find out more this chapter about Gab and Jondy. Thanks for reviewing.

**Dory Shotgun** - :sulks: You didn't read it:sobs: Ah well…LOL! Kidding! Glad you liked it and I hope that you would continue reading! Thanks for reviewing!

**L80bug** – Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy the next chapter!

**GuestTypePerson **– Thanks for reviewing! LOL! Nevermind about the name, I think I know you by now without you actually logging in, hehe! The guys? All confused, I guess…seeing that they are all about 16-17 years old. It'll get more settled soon. Good luck with your job hunt. I hope you get what you are looking for!

* * *

**Chapter 23 – Enter Sandeman**

(by elle6778)

Max was about to turn around a corner when she realised who it was.

_What was Gab doing skulking around here?_ She wondered suspiciously.

Curious, she backed herself into an adjacent open doorway, hiding herself from anyone who might be walking down the hallway and away from Gab's sight. Max stood motionless and listened intently.

"_Hey, Alec…Got a minute?"_

"_Sure. What's up, buddy?" _Max heard Alec reply.

"_I suppose you already know I have been assigned that mission."_

"_Yeah. Biggs and Jondy too. Is it about…?"_

"_Yeah, after last night, I'm not sure that would be such a good idea, Alec. Can't you find someone else to go?"_

Max frowned, trying to think of what could have happened last night. She remembered feeling tired and had gone to bed, forgoing her night training session. She wondered if Gab and Jondy went on without her. That would be rather surprising considering that Gab had never liked to train alone with Jondy. Max had found it strange, but she never bothered to question it.

"_You spoke to Max about why you don't want to go?"_ Max tensed a little as she heard Alec's question, wondering what Gab was hiding from her. And how did Alec know what was going on?

"_NO! Are you kidding me? I don't know what she'll do to me if she finds out." _

"_Gab, maybe it's better for her to find out from you than through the gossip mill."_

"_No one knows except three of us anyway. And I didn't even want you to know, just that you forced it out of me," _Gab's tone was resentful.

"_And how long do you think it's going to stay this way? Come on, just tell her. Maybe she'll understand why you don't want to go."_

"_You understand why I don't want to go right, Alec? I mean, it's a long term thing, and I'm sure I couldn't…you know…with Jondy like that?"_

Max frowned. What happened between Gab and Jondy that was so bad that he did not want to even consider going on a mission with her? Max continued to listen as Alec spoke, barely daring to breathe lest she gave her position away.

"_You know, I understand how you feel. But a mission is a mission. You were selected for a reason. Maybe you should just go. Who knows? Maybe things will sort itself out when you are out there."_

"_Dammit, Alec! I need you to help me here!"_

"_I can't! What am I supposed to tell everyone else?"_

"_I know you, Alec. You can talk. I'm sure you can come up with something."_

"_I don't think so, Gab."_

"_Shit! I can't believe this…Are you really not going to help?"_

"_I told you, this sort of things is kind of out of my hands. I didn't make the final decision, you know? All of us sat down and decided that you three are the best candidates. You need Jondy there because she's been out there much longer than either of you, especially considering that this is your first long term mission. Not to mention Lydecker already approved it."_

"_Why didn't you ask us first!"_

"_Listen to yourself, Gab. Since when did anyone ever asked if we would agree to go on a mission?"_

"_Ever Since this freaking new change in Manticore," _Gab practically shouted his words.

"_Fine then, I'll remember to ask your permission next time,"_ Max winced as she heard the way Alec's voice dripped with sarcasm.

There was a pause before Max heard Gab exhale a heavy sigh.

"_Sorry, man. Didn't mean to take it out on you."_

"_Hey, no worries. What else am I here for, right?"_

"_Right. Well, I'd better go now."_ Gab sounded dejected.

Max held her breath and pressed herself tighter against the wall. She waited quietly until Gab's footsteps faded before stepping out of the room. Alec looked up, his expression showing his pleasure at seeing her. For a few seconds, Max forgot what she was about to say as she took note of the way he was looking at her. She suddenly felt tongue-tied.

"I'm feeling kind of popular today," Alec said, lips twisted in a wry grin. When Max remained silent, he continued, "I know I'm gorgeous, but I'm feeling a bit self conscious at the way you're staring at me now."

Regaining control over herself, Max rolled her eyes, "Could you be serious for a moment? I've got something to ask you," she snapped, embarrassed that Alec caught her staring.

"Shoot," he said, leaning against the wall.

"What's up with Gab?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

Alec gave her a considering look before answering, "Why don't you ask him?"

"If I think he'll give me a straight answer, I would! Now are you telling me or not?" Max asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Alec grinned, "What do I get out of it?"

"Nothing," Max said in a flat tone, keeping her face straight as the image of them kissing entered her mind.

"Oh come on, Maxie…You can't get something for nothing," Alec teased. Then he said suggestively in a softer voice, "I know I'm above all that kiss and tell stuff, but I could make an exception for you."

Max couldn't help herself. She blushed, "You're impossible!" _Trust Alec to hit so close to home,_ she thought irritably.

"But you like it,"

"No!" she denied vehemently.

"You can admit it, you know," he continued with an even wider grin.

Max glared at him. Not trusting herself to say another word, she spun around and walked away. She decided that she would talk to Jondy later that night when Alec was sleeping. She could hear the soft sound of Alec's laughter behind her.

Involuntarily, her lips twitched and she smiled.

* * *

Lydecker lowered the report he had been scanning when a knock sounded on his door. He knew who were at the door; he had called a meeting of the COs again. He had initially thought to involve only the X5s in the discussion, and then he decided that it would be better to have the views of the other transgenics. 

Lydecker thought that the entire issue with heat was beginning to get out of hand. Now that they were older, their hormones seemed to be more potent, making it harder to control. The incident two weeks ago with Unit 3 was the last straw as far as he was concerned. This time, the female transgenic in heat had caused a major incident because two of the more dominant male transgenics were practically trying to kill each other fighting for her. X5-599 fared better than his unfortunate challenger, who had to remain in the med bay for three days to recover from his injuries. Fortunately, their CO had the sense to call in the guards with tazers to break them up. Lydecker feared to think what might have taken place in that dorm if the guards had not made it there in time.

After calling out for them to enter, Lydecker waited for Alec, Jace, Matt, Max, Mia, Mole, Pops and the rest of them to come in before he spoke.

"In light of recent events with regards to the female's heat, I think we need to discuss the possibility of alternative living arrangements. This cannot continue. I want to know what you think, so speak freely."

"Sir, I don't think it's too big an issue. It's just an occasional thing; females in heat. Living together as a unit bonds us together," Alec said, not sure what the fuss was all about. So far, their unit seemed to survive fine with all the heat incidents. That also meant that he could keep an eye on what Biggs and the rest of them were up to.

"Living together is good for bonding, but what if we could not stop the males from attacking the females? The morning after would not be comfortable at all. Not to mention every time it happens, all the males fight for dominance," Jace said, remembering what happened in her unit. Zack practically killed her 2IC that night, not that he needed much encouragement.

"Personally, I think I could do with some privacy. The dorms are fine when we were kids, but now that we are older, it's different. Also it could really mess things up if we couldn't stop males from mating with females when they are in heat," Max said, also recalling what happened just recently in her unit.

Lydecker nodded, "I thought just as much," he said, "I was thinking that perhaps it would be good to reassign those of you who are older to single cells."

"Single cells?" Jace asked, "Are there actually enough single cells to accommodate all of us here?"

"Not here, no. You would need to be relocated," Lydecker replied.

"Where to?" Max asked, frowning. If they were to be relocated, she was sure that her friends in the basement would be left behind in this one. She was not too keen on the idea.

"We just got hold of a new facility in Seattle, which I think have enough single cells to accommodate all of you," Lydecker explained.

Max perked up at the mention of Seattle; that would mean that if she might be able to go find Dani, her first friend outside. But it still did not solve the problem she had with leaving Joshua, Kelpy, Cammy, Hulk and the rest of them down there. Though Hulk and the rest of the more promising X3 may be transferred along with them. She decided that since Lydecker told them to speak freely, she would.

"Who exactly will be transferred over to the new facility? Just us X5s or are there any others?"

"We have not decided yet. The size of the facility could accommodate all the inhabitants of this facility, so if we do decide to bring everyone over, it would not be a problem," Lydecker answered, "Why?" he asked, curious as to what Max had on her mind this time.

Max hesitated and decided to go for the partial truth, "I was just wondering about the X3s and X6s. The X6s are under my command, so I thought it would be a bit difficult for me to do much if we were separated."

"It's not a problem to transfer the X6s as well."

"Sir, for the success of the integration plan you mentioned in the last meeting, doesn't that mean the rest of us need to be transferred as well," Pops the Arctic Division's CO asked.

"Looks like we may have to transfer the whole facility, then," Lydecker said thoughtfully, realising that this would be a larger scale operation than he envisaged.

"Wouldn't this also sort of the problem we have about our location being compromised? I mean, with respect to that mission 511, 547 and 210 is currently on?" Alec asked.

"That's also true. Relocating will help," Lydecker said.

The transgenics did not say anything.

After a while, Lydecker decided that this would be a good time to see how they could work together. It was risky to put this much trust in the transgenics but he had discussed this with Sandeman. And Sandeman had repeatedly reiterated that it was important to let them know that Manticore trusted their judgement.

"Alright, this is what we will do. You will sit down together and come up with a proposal for the transfer to the Seattle facility. It is important to remember that the public must not know about us, so think carefully about the phasing," Lydecker told them, "Let me have your proposal next week. Make sure you include everyone, including the staff."

Alec frowned, "Sir? We need more information to work on this. The personnel database is classified, I believe,"

Lydecker nodded thoughtfully, then replied, "Let me know what you need and I'll arrange it,"

* * *

It had been a few days since Max overheard Gab and Alec's conversation in the hallway, and she still had not had a chance to speak to Jondy. She was disappointed when Jondy did not show up the last few nightsfor their nightly training session. Gab, as usual, went with her but he was in such a sullen mood these days that Max decided that it would probably be safer if she did not push him about Jondy. 

Max promised herself that she would get to the bottom of this no matter what it took. The state Gab was in was beginning to worry her.

Max turned to the table occupied by unit 6, searching for her sister. Jondy was taking with Alec, but Max could not hear their words. Alec was obviously saying something to Jondy which she did not like, because she stood up abruptly and left the table.

Her eyes followed Jondy as she walked out of the mess hall. She did not look too happy.

Max pushed her chair back, barely glancing at her unit mates as she said quickly, "I'll see you all in the Rec room later, okay."

Not waiting for their reply, Max rushed out of the mess hall, in search of Jondy.

She found Jondy in the gym, punching the sandbag furiously. She shut the door behind her quietly and started towards Jondy, hoping that her sister was in the mood to talk.

"Hey, Jondy. Mean left hook you got there."

Jondy swung around, her expression showing her irritation until she realised that it was Max. Smiling, she abandoned the sandbag and walked towards Max.

"How are you doing, Max?"

"You took the question right out of my mouth," Max said with a wry grin, "Are you alright?"

Jondy shrugged, "Yeah, why shouldn't I be?"

Max saw that Jondy's eyes dimmed a bit as something crossed her mind. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, "Something is bothering you…and Gab. Did he do something to you?"

Jondy's eyes snapped up to meet Max's. Max could see that she was about to form a sharp retort before something seemed to stop her. Instead, she sighed and shook her head, "Nothing important."

"It's important enough to upset both you and Gab," Max said softly

Jondy fell silent.

Max sighed. This was harder than pulling teeth, she thought. Pulling Jondy with her, Max sat down on the floor before saying, "Tell me."

After a few minutes of silence, Max was about to give up when Jondy began haltingly, "Few nights back, I came here…"

Max realised that it must be the night she missed the training. Giving Jondy an encouraging look, she nudged, "Okay…then?"

Jondy inhaled, "Then Gab came in, telling me that he's going to give it a miss. When I asked him why, he said that there's only the two of us."

"You still can train without me, right?"

Jondy nodded, "That's what I said, but he said that he would rather go to sleep. I mean, he made it sound as if he can't be asked to train with me."

Max raised her eyebrows in surprise. She knew Gab had a big mouth, but she never expected him to say something potentially hurtful to someone.

"So I got pissed off and started yelling at him…" she paused, then looking guiltily at Max, she said, "Okay, I kicked him about a bit as well."

Max gave her a small smile, "He probably deserved it after saying what he said."

"Then he started yelling back at me, asking me why I have to be such a pain in his butt."

Max frowned, "That was unnecessary," she stated, promising herself to have a word with Gab.

"You tell me… Actually, when I yelled at him, I said something that I wish I didn't," Jondy said a bit guiltily

"What?" Max asked, curious.

"You are going to hate me for this," Jondy looked down at her shoes, fiddling with the laces.

Max tensed, "Why?"

"I accused him of being blind to any other girl except you, and that he wouldn't notice anyone else evenif they are right in front of him."

Max gasped, her eyes wide, "Jondy! What possessed you to say something like that! Gab and I are just good friends," she practically shouted, hoping that Gab would not take it the wrong way.

Jondy buried her face in her hands, mumbling, "I know! I didn't really mean it! It just came out, okay!"

"Jondy…how can something like that just come out…What did he say?" Max asked, apprehension in her voice. This was beginning to sound like a nightmare come true. Her sister had accused her best friend of liking her. Max suppressed a groan.

"He denied it and said that his eyesight was fine," Jondy paused, seemingly unable to go on. She looked away from Max, staring unseeingly at the gym equipment in front of them.

"Jondy?" Max prodded softly.

"You are going to laugh," Jondy said in a small voice, still not looking at Max.

"Whatever it was, it can't be that bad!"

She sighed heavily, "It was… I asked him why he didn't notice me. That I was right in front of him all this time and he didn't notice me,"

Max was finally stunned into silence. The thought that Jondy was interested in Gab never even occurred to her. Now that she thought back to it, she realised that all their fights must be because of all the repressed feelings. She sat there blinking for a moment before Jondy's voice brought her back.

"Go on…laugh," Jondy went on bitterly. Her face was set in a mutinous mask.

Max put her arms around Jondy's shoulder, hugging her tightly, "Oh, Jondy…"

Jondy sniffed, "I can't believe I said that to him," she said mournfully.

Max hid a smile, "What did he do after that?"

Jondy finally managed to look at Max. Her lips twisting, she said, "What do you think? He ran off, of course. The coward!"

Max laughed out loud, relieved that Jondy seemed to be able to see the humour in the situation. All they had to do now was to find out what Gab _really_ felt for Jondy.

Too bad they were leaving for their mission the next day.

* * *

A couple of days later, Lydecker told Max to bring the two X6s she had chosen to his office. That meant that Max had to rush through the morning drills with the rest of the X6s and then leaving them to practice by themselves while she extracted Tom and Dani to go with her. 

More than halfway to her destination, footsteps behind her made her glance back over her shoulders. Her heart gave a tiny lurch when she noticed who it was.

"Hey, Maxie," Alec greeted with smile. Behind him were Kelpy and Cammy, waving their hands at Max in greeting.

"Hi," Max replied, giving him a small smile as he came up beside her, leaving the other four to walk behind them. She tensed slightly as his arms brushed against hers. She vowed that today, she would not lose it, no matter what he decided to tease her about.

"So, it's inspection day for these four, is it?" he asked casually, flicking his hazel eyes at her briefly.

"I guess so. Why else would Lydecker want to see us all?"

"Hmm…" he said thoughtfully, surprisingly not teasing her about anything.

Max did not know whether to be disappointed or relieved that he did not say anything else.

At that moment, they arrived at Lydecker's door. After knocking on the door and hearing Lydecker's invitation to enter, they opened the door and filed in.

Max was the first one to notice that there were two men in the room. One was Lydecker and the other was some old man who looked strangely familiar to her.

Lydecker got up from behind his desk and stood beside the old man.

Max continued to stare at the old man with an odd look on her face. She was trying hard to remember something about the man. The memories were hazy, but she could have sworn that when she was a child, he used to pick her up and carry her around.

Lydecker spoke, "Sir, let me introduce you to 452 and 494, the two soldiers who trained your bodyguards," he paused for a moment, and then with twinkling eyes, he continued, "Otherwise known as Max and…"

Still caught up with her memories, Max mumbled distractedly, "Alec…"

Alec sucked in his breath and stiffened noticeably at her slip.

Suddenly realising what she just did, Max's eyes darted up anxiously.

Lydecker's lips twisted in a smile, enjoying the look in the transgenics' eyes, "Max and Alec. And this is Dr Sandeman, one of Manticore's founders,"

Max and Alec simultaneously let out an almost imperceptible breath of relief.

Sandeman smiled and peered at Max and Alec, studying them intently before he spoke, "It was a long time since I last saw them face to face," He turned to look at the other two. "Kelpy and Cammy…It's been too long since I've spoken to you two," he said wistfully. "But I suppose in a short time, we'll be able to catch up,"

Kelpy and Cammy grinned at him.

Alec was surprised, but he kept his face impassive.

Max was growing more confused. Obviously Sandeman had known them from their childhood, but why did they not know about him all this time?

"452?" Lydecker's voice penetrated her thoughts. He was looking at her with concern.

Snapping to attention, Max said, "Yes, sir?"

"Do you want to introduce these soldiers?" Lydecker asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Um…yes, sir," Max gestured at the two X5s. "They're X6-343 and X6-344. I've been calling them Tom and Dani to get them used to their names. They will be the main bodyguards. I believe that their role is to be Dr Sandeman's grandchildren. They have all the usual X6 abilities and I have instructed them on how to behave as normal children," Max looked at Alec, waiting for him to do his bit with Kelpy and Cammy.

"Sir, Kelpy and Cammy will be responsible for back-up and generally providing support. They will work from behind the scenes, mostly. In addition to their usual transgenic strength, they're also capable of camouflaging themselves, which we believe is a useful trait for this mission," Alec explained.

Sandeman nodded, looking pleased, "Seems that everything is in hand, Lydecker. Well done, everyone. So when will they be starting?"

"In about a week. We'll send them to you," Lydecker informed him.

Sandeman stood and smiled, "Well, I'll be seeing you all then,"

* * *

The six transgenics filed out of the room and shut the door quietly behind them. Alec waited until he and Max was alone before he spoke. 

"Gee, Max. Thanks for that." He said sarcastically as he walked beside her. He had a bit of a shock when he heard Max utter his name. He had thought that Lydecker was going to punish them for sure.

After being exposed to a flirty Alec for weeks, Max was a bit surprised to hear the tone of his voice, "What?" she retorted with a frown.

"My name, Max! You told Lydecker and Sandeman!" he exclaimed, exasperated, wondering how could she be so calm about it.

Max rolled her eyes, "Oh, get over it. They didn't seem that bothered by it."

Alec fell silent for a moment as he thought on her words, "Hmm…You know, I think you are right. That's strange," he mused.

Max stopped walking and turned to face him, "What? It's strange that I am right?"

Alec smirked. It was not what he meant but he was not going to let this opportunity go. "If you put it that way, then yes," he said, knowing that it would rile her.

"Don't be such a smartass!"

"Oh, we're back to that, huh? I was beginning to think that you've lost your obsession with that part of my anatomy. I was beginning to worry," he said, grinning cheekily as he moved closer to her.

"I am not obsessed with your ass!" Max said, her cheeks reddening at his implication and his proximity. She stood rooted to the spot as he stopped just inches from her, looking down at her.

Bringing his face closer to her ears, he whispered, "Okay then, not my ass. But what about the rest of me?"

Max broke out in goose-pimples as she felt his breath on her ears. She barely heard what he said as suddenly the image of them kissing popped into her mind. Again.

"Max?" he prompted. He wanted to touch her but he was afraid that she would run. So he remained standing there, his hands clenched tightly in an effort to prevent them from wandering.

Max swallowed and then looked up.

Brown eyes locked with hazel ones.

Alec watched in fascination as Max's pupils dilated. He decided that he had shown enough restraint. If he did not do what he wanted right now, he would probably die of frustration. He would deal with the consequences later.

Alec cupped her chin in his hand and lowered his lips to catch hers in a gentle kiss.

For a second, Max did not respond. Then tentatively, she started moving her lips against his. Everything went blank for Max; she could not feel anything except Alec and his touch.

Slowly, they broke apart, staring at each other; their looks a mixture of passion, confusion and wariness. Neither knew what to say.

For once, Alec was tongue-tied.

Then Max looked away uncomfortably, clearing her throat.

"Erm…You know..." she started.

"Yeah?" Alec prompted softly, rubbing the back of his neck in a show of awkwardness. He hoped that Max would not hit him too hard this time.

"We really need to stop doing this…People will talk," Max said softly, not meeting his eyes.

Relaxing a little, Alec gave her a wry grin, "I think it's too late for that now. People are already talking," he pointed out.

Max flushed as she looked up at him, "I guess you are right," she admitted.

Suddenly feeling inexplicably happy, Alec's grin grew, "Are you saying what I think you are saying?" he asked in a slightly teasing tone, hoping that it would conceal his nervousness.

Max smiled at him, "What do you think?"

"I think you know what I mean. And I think you should kiss me again," he said cheekily.

Gasping at his audacity, Max retorted, "I think you got it the wrong way round. You were the one who kissed me!"

Alec smirked, "Does it matter?"

Max did not get a chance to answer as Alec promptly stopped her from talking by using his most effective method.

Kissing her.

* * *

**t.b.c.** (I can't believe I can't find a good spot to put a cliffie! LOL!) 

A/N: Does this chapter meet your approval? Hehe! Write me a review and tell me what you think! I think I am addicted to your reviews :grins:


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: So sorry for the late update! I had been really bogged down with work and stuff! But here's the update finally. This chapter is a bit different from the last few, you'll see why soon. I just needed to move things along a bit! Hope you enjoy it!

**Mel11** – Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked the ending. We got to wait awhile before finding out if Gab likes Jondy, hehe!

**Calistra** – Yeah, an away mission is a good time to sort out feelings and such! Thanks for reviewing.

**Chase** – I agree…they need to kiss more often, LOL! I'll try my best to make sure they do! Thanks for your review.

**Kungfuchick **– Thanks for reviewing. Glad you like the chapter. As for the heat, just watch out in the next few chapters, okay?

**Dory Shotgun** – Hehe! Thanks for the sweeties! Logan and White integration? Hmm…they'll be featured in the next few chapters. Thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie **– Yeah, can you imagine a persistent Jondy going after Gab at every opportunity, and Gab trying to get away? LOL! Nah, Zack got _subdued_ before anything happened. Not that it would be a bad thing if it did, hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl **– Thanks for your review. Yes, I meant for Manticore to be different here, just for a change. Unfortunately, Max and Alec cannot help with Jondy and Gab now…you'll soon see why!

**L80bug** – Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy this chapter!

**Latinapotterfan** – Me? Mean? Of course not! It's not even a cliffie this time, lol! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alec'sAngel494 **– Glad you liked how I brought Sandeman in. Yeah, finally those two got together after how many YEARS of bickering! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Mae** – Thanks for your review. Have fun reading this one!

**Eva **– We need to wait a while before Jondy/Gab bit comes up. As for Zack, there's more of him in this chapter :winks: Thanks for reviewing.

**Angel of Darkness231** – Thanks for reviewing. Yep, Jondy likes Gab…and Gab is literally running scared, lol!

**Angelofdarkness78 **– I hope your homework is not too much :) Maybe you should take a break once in a while and update Ooh Baby, LOL! Okay, okay…I'm not supposed to say that! Ahem, let me try again…School is GOOD:Grins: Thanks for reviewing!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I hate the head stuffed with cotton feeling. I hope you are back to your usual mad self soon! Hehe!

**Toniboo **– Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked the chapter. This one has a bit of a different tone though :sighs:

**Lex2u **– Hehe! Glad you thought so. I felt a bit weird having no cliffie, but since you all like it, I supposed then I am happy enough! Thanks for reviewing.

**Spanishwon2123** – Thanks for reviewing. I'm afraid you need to wait a while before we see what's happening with Gab and Jondy!

**Lin** – Yep, kisses, LOL! Thanks for reviewing.

**Alana84** – Thanks for your review. Gab doesn't quite know what to make of Jondy's feelings, I think, LOL. Poor guy! As for Max and Alec…It's about time!

**GuestTypePerson** – Wow! You remembered to log in, Hehe! Gab and Jondy situation will come up later, not in this chapter. You'll soon see why…this is a weird chapter because it's kind of like a transition stage. Thanks for reviewing.

**W1cked angel** – Thanks for reviewing! I take it that you liked the kissing scene:grins: Hope you like this chapter!

**Lakergirl08** – Thanks for reviewing! It's about time Alec and Max got together! And Zack? More on him in this chapter. Max being blind to his feelings is not surprising at all! Hehe! Glad you like having Logan around.

* * *

**Chapter 24 - Relocation**

(by elle6778)

Max stomped angrily into the gym and headed straight for the sandbag, intent on taking out her fury on it. She needed something to vent her frustration on.

After a series of rapid punches and kicks, Max felt calm enough to think. She wished that Jondy were around for her to talk to. Jondy was the only one who might understand what she had just been through. But Jondy, Gab and Biggs had just left for their mission a few days ago, the same day the X6s, Kelpy and Cammy were deployed for theirs, meaning that Max had been left pretty much alone.

Max sat down on the cold floor and cast her mind back to what had just happened out in the corridor an hour ago.

_FLASHBACK_

The lights had just gone out when Max started to make her way to the gym, muttering about the lack of company. She had only gone halfway to her destination before a familiar voice called out her name. Turning around, she saw Zack walking towards her. Involuntarily, she tensed as she recalled what had happened the last time they had spoken.

"Hi Zack," she greeted with a small amount of caution in her voice.

Zack raised his eyebrows, "You don't look to happy to see me, Max."

She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "What are you talking about, Zack? Of course I'm happy to see you."

"Look, Max…We didn't really get a chance to talk since the last time."

"It's okay, Zack," Max said quickly, not wanting to continue their previous conversation. It was not pleasant and she did not want to get sucked in into another conversation about Manticore and Alec. It was obvious that they had differing views on those two topics.

Zack sighed. "Max…" he paused and seemed to think for a while before he continued, "I'm just worried about you. I mean, I really can't believe that you have changed so much."

"I really think we shouldn't be talking about this again," Max said uncomfortably.

Ignoring her, he continued, "I care about you, and… and I just want things to be the same with us as before. We used to be so close."

"Zack, I'll always think of you as my big brother. You know that," Max said softly, touching him gently.

Zack glanced at the small hand on his shoulders and then looked at her. "That's… nice," he said, but he looked less than happy.

Max frowned, confused at his reaction. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he said evasively.

"No. Tell me, Zack," she persisted.

Zack took a deep breath. "What if I say I don't want to be just your brother?"

Max stilled, trying to digest his words. Then, as realisation dawned, her eyes widened in shock. Zack could not possibly be saying what she thought he was saying. But it definitely sounded like it.

"Max?" he prompted.

"Erm…Zack, I…" she faltered, not knowing what to say. Swallowing, she finally looked in to his eyes and said with a helpless expression, "I can't…"

Zack stood there silently, staring at her with an emotionless mask. Then his lips compressed.

"This is because of Alec, isn't it?" he ground out, obviously fighting to keep his voice level.

Taken aback at his sudden accusation, Max said, "What? No! This has nothing to do with him. You're my brother, Zack. We're not like that."

"But you and Alec?"

Max hesitated. Then, knowing that the gossip would reach him sooner or later, she nodded wordlessly.

Tonelessly, Zack said, "I see."

Then he promptly turned and walked away from her.

"Zack…" Max said in a beseeching tone, watching him walk away as if he had not heard her.

_END FLASHBACK_

Max groaned as she thought about the look on Zack's face. She had not meant to hurt him, but she could not possibly think of Zack _that_ way. Even if things were different with Alec, Max knew that it was highly unlikely that she would feel that way towards Zack.

The door to the gym swung open, interrupting Max mid-thought.

"Hey, gorgeous… Care for some company?"

Her frustration about Zack temporarily forgotten, Max smiled and glanced towards the door, watching Alec as he swaggered in. "Why? Are you offering?"

Sitting beside her, he grinned. "Well, your bodyguard had paid me loads of cash to keep you company while he's away."

"Gab?"

Alec nodded. "Who else? So, here I am."

Max narrowed her eyes. "So meaning that if he had not asked you to come, then you wouldn't?"

Giving her an innocent look, he replied, "Well, my beauty sleep is kind of important to me. Need to look good for the chicks, you know,"

Max smacked his shoulders. "You are such an ass, you know that?"

Rubbing his shoulders, he said with a grin, "But you love it."

Max grinned back.

* * *

Logan looked up from the pile of paperwork on his desk when he heard the lift door open. Turning around, he noticed that it was one of his acquaintances from the S1W.

"Asha. Hi," he greeted with a smile and gestured for her to sit.

Asha returned his smile and made herself comfortable on his couch. "Hey, Logan."

"So, found anything interesting on that list of addresses?"

"We checked all of them and I think we might have found what we are looking for. Every one of them were empty except for two. One is the Wyoming address you gave us is registered as a children's hospital. The compound is quite large and the security seemed overboard for that type of institution. Another one is in Salt Lake City."

"What's suspicious about the one in Salt Lake City?" Logan asked, turning to his computer to bring up maps of the two areas.

"It's all fenced up and we couldn't get in, so we suspect there must be something there worth hiding," Asha explained.

"Good…good," Logan said thoughtfully as he zoomed in on the Wyoming location.

"Logan?" Asha said hesitantly

"Yeah?"

"How do you know the information could be trusted? I know I said that the two places look suspicious but there might be a perfectly good reason for it. We just don't know,"

Logan sighed. "I think now that we have narrowed in down to two, I could do a better check on them. Then we'll see. My other contact might want to be involved in the takedown, so I'll have to let him know if we find something."

Asha looked worried. "I hope you know what you are doing."

"I hope so too."

* * *

Max was already sitting in the briefing room with the rest of the COs when Alec barged in, breathing hard.

"Sorry, I forgot this," he apologised, holding up a large roll of paper. He immediately spotted Max and went to sit beside her in the only empty seat in the room. "Thanks for saving me a seat," he said with a grin and wrapped one arm around her shoulders affectionately.

"Alec…" Max hissed in warning as she tried to dislodge his arm as discreetly as possible. She was still not too comfortable with the idea of Alec and her being an _item_. She guessed that she should be by now, considering the number of people who had found out about it. It definitely had not taken the rest of the transgenics long to figure it out. They had only been sort of officially a couple for a couple week or so.

Mole gave them a disgusted look. "Hey kids, do you mind keeping your hands off each other until the end of the meeting?"

Mia laid a hand on Mole, smiling indulgently as she said, "Oh come on, Mole. Don't you think they look sweet together?"

"They can be sweet together when I'm not around," he growled.

"Gee, Mole. You're in a cheerful mood today, aren't you?" Max mocked with a large grin.

"That's something new," Alec let out a bark of laughter.

The rest of the transgenic sniggered as Mole glared at Alec and Max.

Stifling his laughter, Matt banged his hand on the table for attention. "Right, soldiers. I think it's time to start the meeting. We'll save the fun for later."

Sobering up, the rest of them started shuffling papers, extracting the more useful ones out of their own piles.

"Let's see what we've got. Mole?" the CO of unit 1, X4-43, who had been named Dana due to her fixation with the pre-pulse show X-files, asked.

Chomping on his contraband cigar, Mole said, "Well, our Desert Acclimated Commandos are all informed of the move. Those who are in the field had been briefed to go straight to the new facility. The rest will be coming with us. And oh, I sorted out the Mules as well. Luke will be organising that lot, but he'll report to me."

"Good. Pops, how about your guys?" she asked, turning towards the albino soldier.

"The Arctic Division is all briefed as well. The last soldier who was out in the field just returned yesterday. So we're all set at this end," Pops said.

"What about the rest of the transhumans in the basement? Matt?" Max asked.

"Yeah, they've all been briefed. Hulk and Joshua will take care of it," Matt reassured her with a smile.

"The Underwater lot and the smaller divisions had been told as well, so we are done with all the non-X-series," Jace explained. She had spent the last few weeks organising this, which was no easy feat, considering that she had not even been aware that some of these transgenics exist.

Dana grinned, "Good work, soldiers. Now let's get on to the X5s. Scrib?"

X5-204, nicknamed Scrib due to his fondness for doodling during meetings replied, "Unit 5 is all set. We're moving out together with Unit 6 if I'm not mistaken. Right, Alec?"

Alec nodded, the glanced at Matt, who was in charge of the logistics plan for the transfer. "Are you sure I can't go with the X6s?" he asked cheekily, knowing fully well what the answer was going to be.

Matt groaned helplessly. "Someone, please make him stop. This must be the tenth time I've heard this question."

Mia laughed. "He just can't bear to be without his soulmate, that's all."

Max just rolled her eyes as the rest of them laughed. Knowing that they could go on all day getting sidetracked, she ignored them and pushed on, "So I'll be going with the X6s, right? Are you sure we can all fit in that school bus?"

"Positive. I've counted the number of seats. And oh, can you make sure they _look_ right? You know, like a regular bunch of schoolkids?"

Max nodded. "They've been letting grow as well. It's still short, but it'll do, I think."

Satisfied with her answer, Matt continued, "Unit 1 will be travelling with the X3s, Unit 3 with the Underwater Division, Unit 4 with the some of the smaller divisions, the Desert lot with the Mules and Arctic with the rest of the stragglers. I think we've got it covered. All of you, except Max and the kiddies, will be moving out in trucks," he finished and looked up.

Dana glanced at the checklist in her hands, nodding as she said, "Yes, logistics are done. Now, accommodation?"

Alec grinned. "I've got it all planned out," he said, unrolling the large roll he had brought in earlier. It was a copy of the blueprint of the new Seattle facility, marked-up with designations showing where everyone would be housed.

Shaking his head, Mole muttered, "I can't believe Lydecker trust him to do this,"

Alec looked affronted. Making a face, he said, "Lydecker obviously can spot good talent for organisation."

Mole snorted and was about to retort when Max interrupted. "Mole, just ignore him," she advised, her own lips twitching.

"Hey, who's side are you on?" Alec exclaimed with a wounded look, poking her ribs.

Max yelped and scooted away, glaring at him.

Holding up her hands, Dana snapped, "That's enough! Now, Alec, do you want to go through it?"

Alec nodded. Pointing to the plan, he started explaining the reasoning behind the arrangement. When he finished, even Mole had nothing to say, the plan was flawless. Alec even managed to allocate Max's unit to the same corridor as his, to everyone else's disgust.

At the end of three hours, Lydecker joined them. He had been allowing them practically a free rein with this project, which surprised many of them, Max included. None of them really believed that the change in Manticore was for real, but faced with this responsibility, they now grew more hopeful that it will continue in this pattern.

They went through everything again with Lydecker, who seemed to be pleased at the development.

At the end of the meeting, they finally settled on a date.

They would be moving out in two weeks.

* * *

Two weeks passed relatively quickly as the transgenics rushed through the final preparation for the transfer. The transfer was phased such that the various transgenics were moved at different times of the day to avoid attracting unwanted attention. The last thing they wanted to happen was to be stopped.

Max stood beside the bus with a checklist in her hand. The X6s, looking very innocent in their civilian clothes, formed a line next to her. The X6s boarded the bus one after another as she called out their designation, putting a tick next to the corresponding box in the checklist. When the bus was finally full, Max let out a sigh, relieved that she did not have to go on a mad search for a lost X6. All of them were accounted for.

As she waited for the guards to join them, Max looked to the other end of the compound, where Jace's unit with the Underwater divisions were going through the same process. Max spotted Zack in the group, looking completely emotionless as Jace gestured for him to enter the truck.

Max did not know how it could be possible but she hoped that the move would somehow make things better for Zack. Although she did not return his feelings for her, she still cared for him and wanted him to be happy.

* * *

Logan's eyes lighted up as he saw the results on the screen, ecstatic that all his hard work had paid off. He had found many irregularities, strange cover ups and dead trails associated with the Wyoming site, and from what he could see, he was positive that this was where Manticore held the children. Now, he could take steps to make sure that Manticore was prevented from progressing with their despicable activities.

He had discussed this with White a few days ago, and was pleasantly surprised when White had told him that he agreed to be involved in the takedown. He had no doubt that White had the resources to do so. Something told Logan that White was much more influential than he let on.

He picked up the phone and dialled White's number, looking forward to telling him the good news.

* * *

The truck had been moving for about half an hour now.

Zack sat on one of the benches lining the two sides of the truck. The Underwater Division, complete with their water-suits, were sitting in a group by themselves, communicating with each other in their own special way. Near him, unit 3 were conversing in excited tones about their destination, pointedly not including him.

Zack did not blame them. He knew he had been less than pleasant to them. But he could never understand why they would be willing to serve Manticore when they could have something much better.

Freedom.

His thought went back to the conversations he had with Max. In his view, Max had definitely been brainwashed. She would never have sided with Manticore otherwise. But then again, he never thought that she would reject him either. That showed him how little he understood her; the adult Max.

He had felt hurt when she told him that she could not return his feelings. But somewhere deep inside he already knew that that was what she was going to say. He just needed to hear it from her. She had never looked at or reacted to him like she did to Alec.

The incident with Max was the last straw.

Zack thought of the object he had hidden in his rucksack, amongst his Manticore standard issue clothes and kits. He had searched for a long time before he finally got his hand on it. Fortunately, no one missed it. Not that he expected them to. He had been careful. So unless they decided to do a stock take on their supplies, Manticore would never find that one item which was hidden in his spare boots.

He took a deep breath and glanced discreetly towards the rest of the transgenics. They were too preoccupied with their conversation to pay any attention to him.

Which suited him just fine right then.

Slowly, he slid his arms into the opening of the rucksack, and when he found what he wanted, closed his fists around it. Extracting it carefully, he kept it wrapped up in his hands. Part of him felt bad about what he was about to do to the rest of them, but he knew that they should be fine, considering that it was non-lethal.

_It's now or never,_ he thought.

Taking a very deep breath, filling his lungs to its full capacity with air, he released the catch on the small pod of knockout gas.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: Yes! Another cliffie! Hehe! So, what do you think is going to happen? Please review and let me know!


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews! I noticed that quite a number of you are not too happy with Zack, but read on and tell me how you feel after this chapter!

**Angel Of Darkness231** – You are trying to look innocent while asking such a 'private' question? LOL! The answer is…nope, not yet. You'll know if they did! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick **– Ah, Zack seems to be annoying a lot of readers in this fic! Sorry! And yep, Max and Alec are cute together. Thanks for reviewing!

**Calistra** – Pig-headed men normally are like that, don't you think? Read on and you'll see if he makes it. Thanks for your review!

**Iridescent Twilight** – Welcome back! Hehe! What's wrong with my cliffies .:pouts:. I work so hard to stop JUST right there, lol! You will find that things will get better for Zack in this chapter, kind of! Thanks for reviewing!

**GuestTypePerson** – Thanks for your review. You definitely sounded hyper, lol! Did you get a job? What mood are you in today then? Hehe!

**Sarah **– Thanks for reviewing. So many fics, so little time, that's what I always think! I wouldn't worry too much about the Zack stuff, you soon see why .:winks:. You have an uncanny way of guessing what I focuses on in the story!

**Dory Shotgun** – Okay, too late to change Scrib to Scribe now, lol! Though it's a good idea! Lydecker is not really turning over the controls, but just giving them more involvement in Manticore. It's something Sandeman wanted (somewhere in the earlier chapters!). Thanks for reviewing.

**Darkangelgirl** – LOL! I should have let you write the next chapter, your theories are good! But what I have gone and done was something a bit different, you'll find out soon! Thanks for your comments!

**Steph** – Thanks for reviewing! Stuff relating to Jondy and Gab will come up later, but I think it'll be difficult to slot Zack in now into that relationship. :grins:

**Alana84** – Logan is in for it; you'll see in this chapter! As for Zack .:sighs:…More MA moments coming up! Thanks for reviewing!

**Lakegirl08 **– Zack is being himself, really uptight! I have no plans on bringing Ben in because there's too many characters to keep track of already, LOL! Your other questions, you gotta read and see! Thanks for reviewing!

**Toniboo** – So sorry for the crappy chapter, lol! I think I know what you mean, but I was just dying to move them all and sort Zack out! Hope this chapter is a bit better! Thanks for reviewing!

**Lotamoxie **–You got a point with the X7s and X8s. By my calculations, the X7s should be just around 5 yrs old and the X8s are fetuses, so they're in a sort of 'nursery'. I kind of slipped their bit in somewhere in this chapter. Thanks for pointing it out!

**Mae** – Nah, that's not evil. Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Sirena1** – Gosh! I can't believe you read it all in one go. Must have taken you ages! Glad you liked how I did the MA in this one. As for the beta…believe me, I know I have a BIG problem with grammar, but I don't think anyone would want to beta a 100,000 word story! I had tried to get one when I first started this, but she sort of lost interest .:sighs:. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Eva** – Thanks for your review. Read on to see if you like the way I moved things forward in this chapter.

**Angelofdarkness78** – Aw, you'll survive school. Next year, you'll look back and think that the 8th grade is easy, lol! The fun of fanfiction – we can make Logan do whatever we want him to do, hehe! As for Zack, I'm feeling a bit bad because he seemed to have generated a lot of negative responses in this fic. I like the guy, personally, but somehow…:sighs: Anyway, I still haven't got any idea on the possible MZ fic, but I'm thinking on it. :grins:

**Mel11** – Hehe! Glad you liked the cliffie. You'll see soon if it works. Thanks for reviewing!

**L80bug** – Thanks for your review! Keep on reading!

**Spanishwon2123 **– Zack is not insane, LOL! He's just lovably lost and confused because Manticore was different from when he left it. And Max too. Not to mention the poor guy had been rejected. I feel sorry for him actually :smiles sheepishly! Thanks for reviewing!

**Supernateral** – Thanks for your review. Hmm…can't tell you yet if Max and Logan would meet, but read on and see!

* * *

**Chapter 25 - Escape**

(by elle6778)

Taking a very deep breath, filling his lungs to its full capacity with air, he released the catch on the small pod of knockout gas.

The rest of the transgenics swivelled around at the hissing sound, exclamations of surprise bursting from their lips. Before they could register what was going on, Zack forced the door open and jumped out, ignoring the commotion behind him.

He knew that he did not have much time. The gas would knock out the guards at the back but not the ones who were sitting with the driver in the separate compartment. Furthermore, it would have only a limited effect on the transgenics due to their tolerance towards chemical weapons. It would take their system just ten minutes to produce a counter-agent. And those minutes were all Zack had to make a run for it.

As the driver was not aware yet of what was happening, the truck was still moving when Zack's feet hit the asphalt. Not wasting another second, he blurred off to the side, making a beeline towards the forest which lined both sides of the highway.

He cursed inwardly as he noticed the school bus not too far behind, but continued to run.

* * *

Max could not believe her eyes was telling her. 

She had been sitting in the bus taking to some of the X6s when she suddenly saw a familiar figure streaking past at the side of the road. A quick glance through the front window of the bus showed her that the back door of the truck was open, smoke pouring out of it.

_Zack,_ she thought frantically.

The guards in the bus, who had obviously seen what was going on, picked up their radio and made an urgent call to Lydecker. The bus pulled to the side of the road.

She could see that the truck had pulled over as well. Two of their guards rushed to the back presumably to check on the transgenics. She could see Jace and her unit as they staggered out, coughing. Jace looked as if she was about to give chase in the direction Zack went, but was stopped by the guard. Max could see her arguing with the guards.

Then Max rushed towards her own guards. "Let me out," Max demanded.

One of the guards looked at her in surprise. "I'm afraid I can't do that. Lydecker's orders. We are sending out a TAC team."

Max swallowed her urge to strangle the guards for wasting time and said urgently, "As if any of you could catch him now, not to mention that by the time the TAC team arrives, he'll be gone."

The guard in charge hesitated for a while before picking up the radio again. "Sir? One of the soldiers is asking to go after the escapee. Her designation…" he looked at Max in question.

"452," Max supplied, impatiently tapping her foot.

"Her designation is 452," he paused and listened for a while, then said, "Understood, sir."

He put down the radio and turned to her. "You go and we'll follow you. Don't try anything funny."

Max gave him a curt nod and rushed out of the door, not looking back to check if they were following her. She knew that there was no way they could keep up with her.

* * *

Zack's adrenaline pumped through his system as he ran through the bushes, ducking fallen branches and swerving to avoid soft spots. He had not counted on the school bus carrying Max and more guards to be so close behind. Now there was a higher risk of him being caught. 

He continued to run for a few minutes more before he detected an almost imperceptible sound of another pair of running feet behind him.

_Shit! It must be another X5_, he thought irritably. There was no way any of the normal guards would have found him so fast. But from what he could hear, there was only one of them.

Another ten minutes passed and Zack could still hear the footsteps behind him. It was not getting closer but it was not growing any further either. _Damn, the soldier is persistent,_ he thought furiously. Making up his mind, Zack decided that he should stop and confront whoever it was. He would have no problem handling one soldier.

He slowed down and brought his steps to a halt, barely breathing hard as he turned around. His eyes widened as his pursuer came into his view.

"Max…" he exclaimed, looking stunned.

Skidding to a halt in front of him, Max pinned him with a hard look. "Zack. Please don't do this."

Regaining his composure, Zack said, also in a hard tone, "Of all people, you should know why I'm going this. Let me go, Max."

"I can't," she said with regret in her eyes, reaching out to grab him.

Zack stepped to the side and pushed her away.

Max tried again to grab him just to be rewarded with a punch.

Irritated at being hit, Max snapped, "Fine, then. If that's how you want it."

She swung around with a kick which Zack barely blocked. He grabbed the feet which Max used to kick him and twisted it, throwing Max to the ground.

Pushing herself up, she swung her feet in a large arc, sweeping Zack's feet from under him, bringing him down. Zack rolled over and smashed an elbow to the side of her head, making her hiss in pain.

Forcing herself to ignore her throbbing head, Max scrambled up and got close enough to knee him in his stomach, knocking the breath out of him.

Pausing, her feet and arms set in a fight stance, she spat, "They're going to come after you anyway. And they won't stop until they find you. Why make it hard on yourself, Zack?"

"I would rather run and hide all my life than be caged up like animals with no freedom. There's nothing for me in Manticore. But I don't expect you to understand that, even after what we all had through together," Zack said bitterly, accusation in his eyes.

The barely audible sound of pain hidden behind Zack's accusing look got to Max. As the will to fight him left her, she fell silent. Memories of their time together suddenly rushed through her mind. She remembered how Zack had taken care of her when she was a child, what Zack had gone through to get them out seven years ago, how he had been recaptured almost two years ago, and how unhappy he had been since then. Zack had given so much to her, and the only thing he had ever asked from her was something she could not give him. Because she had given it to Alec. Was it fair for her to force him to remain just because Manticore wanted him? Zack had never fitted back in as she and Jondy did. And Max realised that he probably never would.

Sighing, she said in a resigned tone, "There's nothing I can say to make you stay?"

Zack shook his head slowly. "If you ever valued what we had before, please don't make this difficult. I'll go with or without your consent."

Max felt her throat constrict. She stepped towards him and looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry things didn't work out. I hope you'll be happier out there," she said softly. Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around him.

Zack stiffened for a moment before he relented and returned her hug, pressing his cheek against her head. "Goodbye, Max…and take care," he whispered into her hair.

Max squeezed her eyes shut as she felt his arms loosen.

When she opened her eyes again, he was gone.

* * *

Lydecker was waiting for them when they arrived at the new facility. 

When the transgenics had gotten off the bus and the truck, they fell into formation, standing at attention. As usual, Max stood in front of the X6s. She noticed that Dana, Alec and Mole were standing not too far away. Her lips twitched in amusement as Alec winked at her.

"Welcome to the Seattle facility. Now, X5s, you will report to X5-494 to be sorted into your own cells. X6s, your CO and X4-43 will show you where to go. And the rest of you follow him," Lydecker said, gesturing to Mole.

Then he turned to look at Max and Jace, looking far from pleased. "452 and 798, be at my office in an hour."

"Yes, sir!" Max and Jace replied simultaneously, knowing what was coming. Lydecker wanted to grill them about Zack's escape. Max suddenly felt nervous, a feeling which she had forgotten to associate with Manticore for a while now. She glanced at Jace, who looked just as anxious.

Grabbing their stuff, the transgenics made their way to the nearest building.

Alec fell into step beside Max, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. "Hey Max," he greeted, spotting the bruise on her jaw.

"What's eating you?" Max asked, her eyes searching his.

His lifted his hand and traced her jaw. "What happened?"

Max smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "I got in the way of something really stubborn, and that's my souvenir," she said, reluctant to talk about Zack.

Alec gave her a disbelieving look. "Right. And I should believe that?"

Max blinked innocently. "You don't believe me?"

"Max, I'm serious," he said firmly. "Come on, tell me who did this and I'll make mincemeat out of him."

Max sighed in exasperation. "I can take care of myself, Alec," then, at his unrelenting look, she continued, "Okay, fine! Zack ran off and I went after him."

Alec's mouth fell open in shock. "What? He escaped. Again?"

Max nodded. "And I think Lydecker wants to talk to me and Jace about it."

"That's not good."

"I know. I'll probably get thrown back into reindoctrination for letting him escape," Max said mournfully.

Alec shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Why not? I basically made a mess out of it."

He grinned. "Because you're too irresistible, even to Lydecker," he said, trying to make her feel better. There was no way of telling what Lydecker might do, but there was not much point in dwelling on it.

Max rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly on his arms. "I'm serious, Alec."

He stopped and laid his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Me too… And another thing…"

"What?" she asked as he moved his face closer to hers. The butterflies in her stomach begin to flutter.

"Can I kiss it better for you?" he murmured against her jaw.

"Alec!" she said in an admonishing tone.

But she did not push him away when he gently pressed his lips to her bruised skin.

* * *

It was an understatement to say that Lydecker was angry. 

Max watched as Lydecker paced the length of his office, occasionally shooting her and Jace contemplative looks. Then, suddenly he stopped and sat down on the edge of his desk.

"So, who wants to go first?" Lydecker bit out.

Jace spoke up. "Sir, we were sitting in the truck when it suddenly smoked up. We realised after a while that it was knockout gas. We were disorientated for a while before our immune system kicked in, but by then, the door had been opened and X5-599 had gone. I got off as soon as I was able to walk, intending to chase after him, but the guards stopped me."

"452?"

Max swallowed, thinking that if Lydecker found out that she lied, she would be dead. "Our bus was not far behind when it happened. I saw 599 running into the forest and asked to be let out to go after him. As you know, you told the guards to let me go, provided they followed close behind. I was chasing 599 for a while before I realised that they had not manage to keep up. Then I caught up with 599 and we fought. But I was unable to restrain him, so he got away," she said, hoping that her story sounded believable.

Lydecker gave her a look which unsettled her. Then he sighed and finally said, "Very well. I supposed we would have to send out a retrieval squad sometime when everything here is back to normal. You're dismissed."

When Max closed the door behind them, she exhaled a sigh of relief. "That was lucky," she exclaimed.

She looked up to find Jace giving her a suspicious look. "What really happened, Max?"

Startled at the question, Max forced herself to appear nonchalant as she replied, "I've already explained it in there."

"Right," Jace said, not convinced. Then she brightened slightly, "Well, at least he's where he wants to be now. Out there."

Max nodded, smiling tightly.

* * *

Logan was sitting at his computer, preparing his next broadcast on Manticore when the door to his penthouse suddenly burst open. Quickly pressing a few keys to lock his computer, he turned around to see White striding towards him angrily. 

Logan swallowed, forcing himself not to panic.

"What's the meaning of this, Cale? Do you take me for a fool?" White gritted out between clenched teeth. His hand snaked out and fisted in Logan's collar.

"What?" Logan stuttered nervously, his eyes flicking side to side as if hoping that help might arrive to save him from White's rage.

"The so called facility in Wyoming is a fake! That's what!" White snarled, releasing Logan and shoving him away in disgust.

"That's not possible! I've checked over and over again. The data all points to that place being the active facility," Logan exclaimed, bewildered at the news. He rubbed at his neck, hoping that it would not bruise. White had quite a grip.

"Cale…it's empty. Care to explain that?" White asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Logan fell silent as his mind whirred. "What could have possibly happened? Everything pointed to Wyoming a few days ago," he muttered, a frown between his brows.

"I don't need to remind you of our deal. So far, you have turned up nothing substantial," White growled threateningly, moving towards the door. "Fix it, or else…" he left it hanging.

Logan paled and averted his eyes, not wanting to see the expression on White's face.

The sound of his door opening for the second time in the last fifteen minutes brought his head up.

"Logan?" a tentative voice called out.

"Asha, this is not a good time. Can you come back later?" Logan said tightly, noticing another person with her. His gaze went back nervously to White.

"Don't hold up anything on my account, Cale. I'll be in contact," White said dismissively, striding out of the apartment without glancing at the two new arrivals.

When the door slammed shut, Logan turned to face Asha.

"Are you okay?" Asha asked, concerned. She had heard the raised voices before she came in.

Logan nodded. Then pulling himself together, he asked, "What's up?"

Still looking worried, Asha said, "Oh, just came by to tell you that we might have a lead on the old man."

Logan glanced at the unfamiliar guy beside her.

Understanding his unspoken question, Asha said, "He can be trusted. S1W's new recruit."

The dark-haired guy with green eyes stepped forward and offered Logan his hand. "I'm Gabriel. You can call me Gab," he said with a smile.

Logan shook his hand. "So, what made you join S1W?"

Gab shrugged and grinned, "Well, someone has to do something about the way things are nowadays, right?"

Logan chuckled and turned to Asha. "So, what have you got for me?"

"A few of us had been watching those areas that you got on the list. We've spotted someone matching the description you gave us in one of the locations. Not too sure what we should do next, though."

"You got pictures?"

"Not yet. But we will soon. Gab and I will go there tomorrow," Asha said.

Logan nodded, "Good. Let me know when you got it, so that we can confirm if it's the right guy."

"Okay," Asha said, then hesitated before asking again, "Are you sure you're okay? The guy just now…"

"I'm fine. Don't worry," Logan interrupted quickly, not wanting to talk about White. He was beginning to fear that he might have got himself into something he might regret.

"Okay then. See you soon," she said, walking towards the door.

"Be careful."

* * *

Alec laid down on his bunk and sighed. It had been a long day for him, organising hundreds of transgenics into the new facility. And there were more to come, apparently. Lydecker had told him to expect the arrival of a younger series of transgenics, the X7s in a month's time from another facility. He needed to organise something for them as he did for the older ones, but they would need dorms, not single cells. 

In the course of this project, he had met many new people. People that in the past, he would never had thought to speak to. The pretty nurses, the doctors, the guards and of course, the rest of the transgenics. Smiling, he thought that Manticore had finally made a right move in reorganising the structure. And everyone knew that without the transgenics' input, the transfer would have been a nightmare to organise.

He was particularly pleased with the sleeping arrangement, having done that himself. Grinning, he wondered what Max would think of the latest revision he had made to the plans. Max only knew that the cells housing Unit 4 and Unit 6 were located in the same hallway, but she did not know that he managed to make sure that they had adjoining cells.

He heard the sound of a metal door clanging shut as the guard on duty called out, "Lights out!"

The lights went out, but seeing in the dark was not an issue for him. Silently, he got off his bunk and brought it up to be hooked onto the wall. He dipped his hands into his rucksack, rummaging for his contraband miniature automatic diamond blade.

Placing himself in front of the wall which separated his and Max's cell, he brought the tool to near the wall and pressed the button at the side. The disk whirred silently as he brought it to the wall, slicing the mortar between the concrete blocks.

* * *

Max rolled in her bunk and stretched, yawning as she did so. She was tired today after everything that had happened and she was glad that it was finally time for bed. Closing her eyes, she drifted off slowly. 

Until an unwelcome scraping sound yanked her rudely from her sleep.

Disgruntled, she sat up in her bunk, frowning. Blinking sleepily, she looked for the source of the noise. When she found it, her eyes widened, sleep temporarily forgotten.

A rectangular piece of the wall opposite her bunk was being pushed towards her.

"What the hell?" she muttered, getting off her bunk, curious.

As the block came further into the room, Max saw a pair of hands following it. Her eyes narrowed as an idea of who it might be popped into her head.

Her lips twisted as a familiar head emerged from the hole in the wall.

"Hey, Max. Waiting up for me?" Alec said as he pulled the rest of his body through. Brushing the dust off himself, he stood facing her, grinning cheekily.

Max shook her head as she tried to suppress her laughter. "Alec. There's something called a door which you can use, just in case you didn't know. And the last I checked, it's not locked."

Alec shrugged. "I know, but it's faster for me to get to you this way, not to mention more fun."

Eyes twinkling with mirth, Max said, "So now that you're here, what do you want?"

Alec stepped towards her, a predatorial look on his face. "What do you think I want?"

Max opened her eyes wide, looking very innocent as she sidestepped his arms. "A nice little talk?"

"Could do, but this is the first time we're in a place with a bed. And guess what? We're alone," he said, waggling his brows.

Max raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "So?"

"I have something to show you."

"What?" she pretended not to understand, but inside, her heart was thumping in anticipation.

"Max…come on..." he finally whined, giving up on his innuendos.

"Tsk…tsk…Alec, you cannot always give in to you animalistic urges," she admonished light-heartedly.

"Oh yeah? Look who's talking about urges. You _attacked _me three years ago when I was helpless to defend myself, stole my first kiss, leaving me high and dry and scarred for life," he said, pointing at her accusingly.

Max rolled her eyes. "Isn't it strange that you're coming back for more then?"

"No one wanted me after that incident. My reputation was ruined," he said, a baleful look on his face.

Max could not help it. She laughed. "Alec…you're…" Unable to continue, she doubled over, laughing hysterically.

"This was definitely not what I pictured when I decided to come here tonight," he muttered darkly, watching as she continued to convulse with laughter.

Then he grinned as a thought came to him. "Okay, I'll give you something to laugh about," he said threateningly.

He proceeded to tickle her.

"No! Alec!" she protested breathlessly, trying to squirm away from him, falling back onto her bunk as she did so. Clenching her hands into fists, she started pounding him.

"It's payback for laughing at me," he growled. He grabbed her hands and held it to the mattress.

Then suddenly he stopped moving and just gazed at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

Max blinked at his sudden change of mood. "What?" she asked nervously.

He gave her a small smile. "I remember that the first time you kissed me, not counting your heat, was when we were playing like this."

Max's heart melted at his words. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she said softly, "You're going to be the death of me, Alec."

She pulled his head down to capture his lips in hers.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: HA! No cliffie this time! Hehe! So how did it go? Actually it occurred to me that this would be a good place to end the story, lol! But hang on! Too many questions still unanswered! Review and let me know what you think!


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews! And oh, expect to see a bit more of Jondy and Gab from now on!

**Bryn **– Hehe! They are quite cuddly aren't they! Nah, Max's not resisting that much! (Who could!) Thanks for your review.

**Mel11** – Thanks for reviewing. Hmm…I see that you don't like Zack very much, lol! I suppose if I decide to write a MZ story, you won't be interested?

**Toniboo** – Didn't end it after all! But you'll see that this chapter is a bit of a transition, so don't expect too much! Thanks for reviewing!

**Kungfuchick **– Glad you liked the chapter. :Sighs: Was Zack really that bad? LOL! Thanks for reviewing!

**Ro** – Thanks for your review! Lydecker didn't punish Max because he don't need to, you'll see why soon.

**Calistra** – X7s won't feature much in this story. They're a bit young still. Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, the MA scenes were meant to be fluffy after all that angst they went through in the first 20 chapters, LOL!

**L80bug** – Nope, story not ending yet (Sighs). Thanks for reviewing!

**Tarzo** – Thanks for your review. Glad you liked the story. And you're right. Considering that they're not even late teens yet, lots more could happen.

**Sarah** – Maybe he will, who knows? But remember that in here, they're still quite young. Max is still short of 17 years old (grins). Thanks for reviewing

**GuestTypePerson **– Thanks for your review. Yeah, Alec is really sneaky, but he likes to be with Max!

**Dory Shotgun** – Yep, Gab's spying on Logan now. Hehe! Manticore should have a lot of inside information to work on soon. Thanks for reviewing. (p/s: I didn't get what you mean by the 'flame ulities')

**Darkangelgirl** – Thanks for reviewing. You'll see soon why Lydecker was so easy on them (grins). As for the ages…Max is 16.75 years old and Alec's a year older.

**Lotamoxie **– I don't think this story will make it to the Berrisford mission. That's like two years more, isn't it? Alec's not even 18 yet at the moment, hehe! Thanks for your review.

**Pixie Wildfire** – Yes! Haha, convenient for them to have adjoining cells, right (winks). Thanks for reviewing!

**Eva** – Yep, Gab's back and there's more of him in this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alec'sAngel494** – Thanks for reviewing! Let me know what you think of this one!

**Lakergirl08** – Glad you like the way it's going. Yes, they'll soon find out loads from Gab's spying. Thanks for reviewing!

**Sirena1** – Hmm…Hope your internet is working today! I haven't had a chance to read you fics yet, but I'm sure your grammar is better than mine, LOL! Thanks for the offer to beta. Do you want to help me with future chapters of this fic? Are you sure? Since it's going to take up a lot of your time!

**Angelofdarkness78** – Hehe! Of course you'll say that, you ship MZ as well after all, hehe! I'm currently trying to arrange Logan's demise as creatively as possible (grins wickedly) Ah, the fun of writing fanfic! Thanks for reviewing!

**Supernateral** – Thanks for reviewing! Surely it's not that long a wait. I'd just updated this last week, lol!

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Yep, you got it. Gab and Jondy infiltrates S1W, gets to Logan and kill him off….Mwahahaha! Ahem…Just kidding! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Lex2u** – Max's mindset is a bit different from his and from hers in the original show (grins). She had actually spent most of her impressionable teenage years in Manticore, and believed that they were better off in there. That's why she tried to stop Zack, before it occurred to her that he was utterly miserable in there. Thanks for reviewing!

**Sakura** – Thanks for your review! Nah, I decided to write a bit more, LOL! Glad you thought that it was good all the way. Personally, I'm not sure I like the first few chapters.

**W1cked angel **– LOL! Good luck finding that chapter with the first kiss. I don't even remember which one it was. Thanks for reviewing.

**Spanishwon2123** –Glad you liked the fight scene! Yep, Zack's out again, and you have to read on to see what happens next. Thanks for reviewing!

* * *

**Chapter 26 - Retrieval**

(by elle6778)

The three-bedroom apartment was small and cluttered; newspapers, food containers, bottles and various items of clothing littered the floor. The television, perched precariously on a small stool, was screening a music video from some pre-pulse group.

Jondy made her way gingerly across the living room, her face twisted in disgust as she surveyed the mess. When she had left the place three weeks ago to join one of S1W's missions, it had been spotless. She frowned when she spotted Biggs on the couch, munching happily as he shoved another handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"Biggs!" she yelled loudly over the music.

Biggs turned around with a grin when he realised who was there. "Hey, Jondy! You're back!" he greeted as he stood up, brushing the popcorn bits off his front. Looking around, he asked, "Where's Gab?"

"I see that you have been doing a good job with the house-keeping while I'm away," she remarked sarcastically, ignoring his question about Gab. Gab was the last person she wanted to talk about right now, especially after what she had seen yesterday.

"Aw, Jondy-baby…I missed you too," Biggs said cheekily.

Jondy rolled her eyes. "You missed my cleaning up, you mean. I don't care how you do it, but fix the mess now or I'll kick your ass!" she snapped irritably and proceeded to stomp into her room.

Biggs watched her departure with a look of surprise on his face, wondering why she had such a huge reaction to the mess.

The front door opened again a second later, and a sullen-looking Gab entered.

Noticing the look on his friend's face, Biggs shook his head wearily, suddenly realising why Jondy was in such a bad mood. "I see that the trip went well," he drawled.

Gab snorted. "It would have gone a bit better if she wasn't there," he replied tightly. Jondy had been such an unbelievable bitch to him on the trip. Not that she had actually said anything to him, but every time he looked at her, she had given him this weird hostile glare.

"What's wrong this time?" Biggs asked with a sigh.

"What could be wrong? We're stuck here on this stupid mission and I have to put up with her everyday. Everything is absolutely fine!" Gab spat as he dived into the couch.

"Man, you two got to sort out whatever that's bothering you. We've been living here almost two months now and you're still at each other's throats," Biggs pointed out. He could not understand what was wrong with the two of them. They barely spoke to each other since they had left Manticore. And whenever they were forced to, they would literally tear each other apart. Biggs was sick of being the mediator between them. He was beginning to wish that they had picked someone else to go on this mission.

"Forget it. That would be what I call a complete waste of time," Gab replied tightly.

Deciding to leave it there for the moment, Biggs changed the subject. "So, any progress?"

"Yeah, I met Cale again. I actually found him quite strange. He has this save-the-world complex about him and he thinks he's doing good by exposing stuff. The girl from S1W, Asha, brought me to meet him one day when she was giving him a report. And guess what? They raided the Wyoming facility a couple of weeks ago."

Biggs smirked. "I guess they had a bit of a shock when it turned out to be empty, huh?"

Gab nodded, grinning. Then as something occurred to him, he sobered up and said, "That's one problem solved. But Cale is persistent. He's very sure that Manticore exists so for the last few weeks, we had been running all over the place, checking out warehouses and any large facilities. Everything turned out to be a dead end, though. The stuff Renfro had must have been quite old."

"If Cale finds anything, we'll be the first to know. Well, sort of. At least something good is coming out of us having to live in this dump," Biggs grumbled as he began to step towards the kitchen for more popcorn.

"Wait, there's another thing. There was this strange guy who had been in Cale's place the first time I met him. I think he's the one pulling the strings on this one. Name's White. And I have a really bad feeling about him. Asha told he was the one who gave Cale the information. You know, those on Renfro's disks?"

Biggs nodded thoughtfully. "I wonder who this White is," he said. Getting up abruptly, he went to a shelf and grabbed the secure phone they had been given by Manticore and handed it to Gab. "I think we should tell Lydecker. I have a feeling this might be important."

* * *

Jondy sat by the window in her room, brooding. _My first mission since I've been hauled back to Manticore and it sucks! And it's all because of that idiot Gab_, she ranted silently.

Their interactions had been a little uncomfortable since that night she let slip that she liked him. When he had literally dashed away from her, it had occurred to her that Gab might not be ready for this sort of 'friendship'. Fine, she could live with that. All she had planned to do after that was to slowly introduce him to it. She had thought that this mission would be the perfect place to put her plans in action. It would be a bit hard for Gab to run away considering that they were sharing accommodation.

That had been her plan.

Reality, however, turned out to be different. Not only Gab refused to speak to her unless absolutely necessary, he had the cheek to flirt with practically all the female members of the S1W. With the way he looked, dark hair, green eyes and features with a hint of Mediterranean descent, he did not even need to flirt to attract their attention.

And now, Asha the blonde bimbo, was a permanent fixture at Gab's side. Jondy fumed as she recalled what happened yesterday. She wished she had not seen Gab giving Asha a hug and kissing her cheek.

When they had first joined S1W and got to know Cale, they had detected a spark of interest between Cale and Asha. Biggs had the great idea to distract those two from each other so that Gab and herself had a better chance of obtaining information. So Gab was assigned to Asha, and her to Cale.

Jondy grimaced as she thought of the older man. Something about him just bugged her. She suspected that he was not really a bad person, just sadly misguided sometimes. And he was definitely incredibly nosy. The worst thing was, she had no clue how she was meant to gain his affection. He was at least ten years older than her. And her being short of seventeen years old did not help matters. She had this feeling that Cale viewed her as a little sister.

She hoped that he was the type who would confide in family members.

* * *

Max was moving alongside two X6s who was lagging behind the rest of them, egging them on towards the end of the assault course. At the moment, they were trying to cross a large expanse of mud pit. The thick, dense mud was pulling them down, making it difficult for them to move fast. The mud reached Max's thighs but it was almost at waist level for the kids. These two X6s were having a particularly hard time as they were the two youngest ones.

"Come on, soldiers. You can do it. Just focus on getting there, don't think of anything else," Max urged them in an encouraging tone.

The two X6s struggled on, and eventually they managed to reach the end and hoist themselves up to the bank.

"Good work, soldiers," Max congratulated them as they ran to the end of the course to join the rest of the X6s, who were standing in formation, waiting.

Max surveyed the mud-encrusted X6s in front of her, checking to see if any of them sustained any injuries. Satisfied that they were all in good condition, she gave the order for them to head to the showers to make themselves presentable.

As she turned to leave, a guard came up to her.

"X5-452? The director wants to see you in his office," he said.

Looking down at herself, she made a face and said, "Like this?"

The guard shrugged. "He said for you go immediately."

Max sighed in resignation. It seemed that she had to put up the state she was in for a while more. "Fine," she replied.

* * *

Lydecker looked up from the file in front of him as Max entered, raising his eyebrows as he noticed her mud-encrusted attire.

"Sir! You called for me?" Max said, snapping to attention. At the sharp movement, a few lumps of dried mud crumbled off her. She could hear the pieces hit the floor but she ignored it, keeping her face straight when she actually wanted to snicker.

"At ease. Did it occur to you to clean up first?" Lydecker asked, his eyes following the descent of the mud from her combats to his floor.

"Yes, sir! But the guard told me that you wanted me here 'immediately'," she said.

Lydecker's lips twitched. "Well, next time, I would appreciate it if you make yourself presentable before turning up," he said.

"Yes, sir," she said with a small smile.

"Well, now that that's clear, let's get to the reason I called you here," he said. "It's with regards to 599's escape."

Max forced herself to remain calm. This was the last thing she wanted to hear from Lydecker. Did Lydecker suspect her of letting him go?

Lydecker studied Max. By now, he knew her well enough to know that she would not be too happy with what he was about to say. In a softer tone, he said, "Max, I know that you probably don't want to hear this, but we need him back here."

Surprised at the use of her name, Max just gaped at him. It must be really bad if he had to resort to calling her name to soften her up.

"I've explained to you before that it's not safe for transgenics out there, especially now with someone trying to expose us. Not to mention the rest who want to capture you for their own benefits. Here at least, you have strength in numbers and so long as we work together, we have a better chance to prevent things from happening," Lydecker explained.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Lydecker nodded. "Go ahead,"

"It's not going to be easy to track down 599. He is, after all, the best of our old unit. And we have no idea how far he had gone since the escape. Even if we get him back, I'm guessing that he would try to escape again," Max said, hoping that she would not get tossed into punishment for speaking so frankly.

"I'm sure that's not the only reason to not bring him back. Did you think that I have not noticed how badly he was integrating back into the Manticore routine? You and 210 integrated back in with minimal problems, but not 599. Why? Because 599 is stubborn beyond reason and that might get him killed or captured out there," Lydecker insisted, "He needs to see that Manticore does not mean him any harm. In the past, perhaps, but we are fixing that now, as you probably noticed."

Max took a moment to digest what he had said. "Sir? He wouldn't understand that, I've spoken to him about it. And the fact is, many of us died in the hands of Manticore and that's enough of a reason to hate it."

Lydecker sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "We can't change the past, but most of the people who made the decisions back then are no longer with Manticore."

Max frowned. "Why?"

"Let's just say that Sandeman had his ways of making them leave," Lydecker replied cryptically.

Max did not even want to guess how Sandeman did it. Suddenly it occurred to her to ask him something, "What about the progress of his four bodyguards?"

Lydecker smiled. "The two X6s are doing fine. I was told that he enrolled them in a school, just to keep up appearances. Kelpy and Cammy usually remains with Sandeman wherever he goes. So far, there had been no attacks on them."

He stood up and went to pick up a small case. Returning to his desk, he said, "Back to the issue of 599."

Max's heart sank.

"Finding him wouldn't be a problem. The problem is to convince him to remain," he said, unlocking the case.

Max frowned. "But we do not know where he is," she pointed out, wondering what Lydecker had up his sleeves. He seemed pretty confident.

"Yes, we do," he said, lifting a small panel out of the case.

Max could see a few of the panels in the case, all about half the size of a clipboard. "Sir? I don't understand."

Lydecker pressed a button on the panel and showed it to her. It looked like a map, but there's a red blinking dot on it.

"This is a tracker. 599 had been implanted during a routine examination because he was considered a flight risk," Lydecker explained.

Max's eyes widened in shock. It had been almost a month since Zack escaped. And all this time, Lydecker could have just gone out and grabbed Zack, but he did not. What was Lydecker up to? Then something else occurred to her.

"Sir, about the flight risk issue? Does that mean I have an implant as well?" she asked, suddenly feeling sick.

"Do you consider yourself a flight risk, Max?" he questioned, his eyes piercing hers.

Max tensed. She had, of course considered escaping when she had been captured, but in time, the urge to do so simply disappeared as she got into the routine. It helped that her unit had treated her well even when they had known that she and her old unit had been the cause of many unpleasant testing. Max did not know how to answer Lydecker's question, so she just shook her head.

He gave her a small smile. "Then you have nothing to worry about, right?"

"But do I have an implant?" Max asked again, seeing that Lydecker did not actually answered her question.

"You were evaluated on a weekly basis since your reintegration back to the regular training. The results show a consistent drop in flight risk as the weeks went by. So, no. You don't have one," Lydecker said.

That brought a measure of relief to Max. It was not as if she would want to escape, but the thought that she might be monitored really unsettled her.

"We are sidetracking," Lydecker noted, "So, basically, with this tracker, it should not take long for us to find 599. Like I said earlier, the problem is that you need to convince him to come back and remain."

"With all due respect, sir, I think that the chance of that happening is pretty low," Max pointed out.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Lydecker said with more confidence than she felt. Then he said with a twinkle in his eyes, "Oh, and you'll be accompanied by X5-494, you'll be pleased to hear. His records in retrieval operations are exemplary, as you know."

Max barely stopped herself from making a face. Lydecker was obviously referring to the fact that it was Alec who had brought her back four years ago. And then she noticed the knowing look on Lydecker's face. A feeling of suspicion rose in her. _Did he know about her relationship with Alec?_

"Yes, it is," Max mumbled.

"You'll be deployed in the day after tomorrow. I'll leave it to you to brief him on the operation," Lydecker said, and then dismissed her.

When Max walked out of the room, it suddenly occurred to her that Lydecker had not call her by her designation even once in the whole meeting.

* * *

Alec sat cross-legged on Max's bunk, studying her as she continued to grumble about the new mission. He had just crawled through the hole a minute ago and since then she had started on a rant about Zack.

"Max, you've completely lost me. Can you just tell me what's this all about from the start?" he asked, slightly exasperated.

Max scowled as she continued to pace the length of the cell. "Didn't you hear a word I said? Lydecker wants us to go out there and talk Zack into coming back. What are the chances of that?"

"Pretty bad," he said thoughtfully, and then grinned, "Hey, I don't mind dragging him back here kicking and screaming," he said jokingly, but he knew that he would do it for real if needed.

"Alec! That's not funny," she snapped irritably, sitting down next to him.

"Come on, Max. It's not that bad. We'll just go find him, and then you sweet-talk him into coming back…"

"Stop joking! I swear, you don't know when to be serious. How am I supposed to get him to agree to come back? It's impossible," she went on.

Alec wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer, "Look on the bright side, at least we get to go together. It'll be like a break for us, all expenses on Manticore. How good is that?"

His words reminded her of something. Max replied with a worried frown, "You know, I think Lydecker knows about us."

"What? How?" Alec exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"I'm not sure, but he had this look on his face when he told me that you'll be coming along. It's weird," she said, confused.

Alec looked thoughtful. "Hmm…It does sound weird. Maybe it's nothing. And anyway, there's nothing we could do about it."

"Alec, what are we going to do about Zack?" she asked, still worried.

His lips compressed. He knew Max felt torn about the mission, but there was really nothing they could do about it right now. "Can we stop talking about Zack for a while? I'm beginning to feel neglected."

Max rolled her eyes. "Alec, you know that Zack's important to me too. And how can you even feel neglected? You come in here every night!" she exclaimed.

"What? You don't like me here? You wound me, Max," He raised his hands to his chest and his face twisted into an obviously fake look of hurt.

Grinning, Max smacked him arm lightly. "Oh, stop it! You're really the pits sometimes."

Alec grinned back at her. "But you love me anyway."

"Who said that?"

"You don't?" his eyes wide with exaggerated sorrow.

"I give up," Max said, burying her face in her hands.

Alec just laughed.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: Nothing much happening, I know, but there'll be more next chapter onwards. Please review and let me know what you think!


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews! Also, a big thank you to **Sirena1** for betaing this chapter! I know that this chapter is not exactly long, but I'm fiddling with 2 other fics at the moments (that's my excuse anyway, lol!). Please bear with me while I sort myself out!

**Angel of Darkness231** – Thanks for reviewing! Hehe! I'm sure Lydecker knows, but decided not to say anything at that time. As for Alec and Zack, you might get your wish yet, lol! And you expect Jondy to understand when Gab touches Asha, hehe? Fat chance!

**Mel11** – Hehe! I suppose it's my fault for making Zack that way! Yes, he needs to lighten up and hopefully he will, otherwise life would be difficult for him! Thanks for reviewing!

**Sirena1 **– Yeah, I didn't think Lydecker is really bad. I think he truly cares for his 'kids' but he must still be have like a colonel. And of course, thanks for the beta! I guess it's not much fun for you to read this now, lol!

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for reviewing! I know there's less Max/Alec scenes in the last chapter. But I'll only do more in the chapter after this one.

**LucreziaNoin86 **– Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you like the story.

**Sarah** – Glad you liked Biggs. And do you think Max can talk Zack into returning. (Sighs) I have my doubts, lol! Thanks for reviewing!

**Calistra **– Yep, Alec and Max going on a mission which is bound to be problematic because it involves Zack. Thanks for your review!

**Toniboo** – No. Alec doesn't know much about Zack at all. Max didn't tell him. But if he knew… Haha! Thanks for reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl** – Thanks for reviewing! More on Max and Alec in this chappie but we'll have to wait for the next one for Jondy and Gab. And I can't update faster than this, lol!

**Spanishwon2123 **– I know, it's a bit gross to think about Logan with a 16-17year old. Jondy and Gab will sort stuff out in the chapter after this one. Thanks for reviewing!

**W1cked angel** – I found the kiss! It's in Chapter 7, lol! Do you have doubts that Gab would get together with Jondy? Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alec'sAngel494** – Thanks for reviewing! You'll find out what happens soon!

**Lakergirl08** – Yeah, Lydecker knows, lol! Anyway, we'll soon see how Max and Alec deal with their mission. Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Thanks for your review! Glad you found Biggs funny. Hehe! Someone has to be, since Gab is still moping (whether he admits it or not) about Jondy.

**Angelofdarkness78** – Update your fics, girl! Hehe! Now that that's done…yeah, the MZ fic is in progress right now. I'll probably upload it at the end of this week. Zack in Retrieved is going to have a hard time with Max and Alec soon. I'm glad you think of Lydecker like that, lol! From bad to good to dead, lol! Thanks for reviewing!

**Lotamoxie **– Thanks for reviewing! No, I don't think Zack would be anywhere near willing, lol! He has a point about Manticore, but Max has her point too. (Sighs) I have no idea how to fix this (shakes head). Plenty of material? I have an ending for this story already, actually. And it's supposed to end before the Berrisford Agenda. (grins)

**Eva** – Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, Jondy and Gab needs to sort something out soon or they would combust with UST, lol!

* * *

**Chapter 27 – Retrieval II**

(by elle6778)

The house that they were approaching looked like the rest along that street, with no distinguishing marks whatsoever. But Cale had told them that he had traced the records to this address, among others.

Gab told himself that he needed to get used to calling Cale by his first name. For some reason, when he imagined the older man, his last name always popped up. Asha was beginning to find it odd that he kept referring to Logan as Cale.

_Logan, Logan, Logan,_ Gab chanted in his head, hoping to get used to the sound of it.

"That's it," Asha said, pointing at the house.

Yanked out of his thoughts, Gab just stared at her for a moment before asking, "So how are we doing this?"

Asha shrugged. "I guess we should just walk up and knock. Ask for direction or something."

"Well, if you think that will work…" Gab said, giving her a doubtful look.

"Any better ideas?" Asha asked, a questioning look on her face.

Gab had many ideas, but he was not about to help S1W track down Manticore. So he shook his head, "Nope. Yours will do," he said, walking towards the house.

Asha knocked as Gab let his eyes scan the windows and the surroundings inconspicuously. His eyes sharpened when he saw an almost imperceptible movement of the curtains in one of the windows.

_Hmm, so someone's in there_, he thought.

After a few more minutes of knocking and waiting, Asha said, "I think we should go in."

"Are you sure?" Gab asked, trying to stall for time just in case it was someone from Manticore inside.

Asha nodded. "No harm in it, right? If there's someone in there, they would have opened the door already. We don't look that threatening. And if it's empty, there's no problem in us going in anyway."

Gab wanted to roll his eyes. He wondered how S1W survived the way the members carried on. Outwardly he said, "Alright."

Pulling out a toolkit from his pocket, he said, "Cover me while I get us in."

Asha turned around to face the street as Gab crouched down. "No one around. Go ahead," she said.

He could have done it in seconds, but Gab pretended to fumble over the lock for a few minutes for two reasons. Firstly, it would look suspicious if he managed to get it open too soon. Secondly, he wanted to give a chance ro whoever it was in there to make a run for it, just in case they were Manticore. Eventually he gave a triumphant exclamation, "Success!" The door swung open.

Grinning, Asha turned back around and stepped in behind Gab.

"You go downstairs and I'll do this level," he said, spotting a set of stairs leading to the basement.

Asha nodded and went to the stairs.

Not really bothering to conceal himself, Gab walked to the living room. The furniture seemed old but the lack of dust told him that this place was definitely occupied. _But there's no one here now_, he thought, walking back out. Then he went to the kitchen. A fridge caught his attention. Yanking the door open, he studied the contents, noting that none of the food inside had expired.

It confirmed his suspicion that the place was occupied. Turning around, he spotted a door leading to a back garden.

He was about to go to the door when suddenly he felt someone tapping his shoulders. Ducking backwards as he turned around, he automatically snapped into a fight stance.

"A bit jumpy, aren't you?" a voice said softly, sounding amused.

"What?" Gab said in confusion as he tried to pinpoint the location of the voice.

A spot next to the fridge changed colour. Gab's eyes widened in realisation.

"Kelpy!" he exclaimed happily, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Kelpy rolled his eyes. "My mission, what else? This is Sandeman's place."

Sobering, Gab nodded. "Is everything okay?"

"All going fine. Cammy got Sandeman out of here, but I saw you out of the window, so I thought I should say something. By the way, thanks for stalling," Kelpy said, grinning.

"Hey, what are friends for, huh?"

"You better get her out of here now. We're not going to move unless absolutely necessary, so keep them away, okay?" Kelpy said quickly as the sounds of footsteps on the stairs reached them. "Say hi to Max and the rest if you see them, alright?" he went on before blending back into the furniture.

Gab hurried to the stairs to intercept Asha before she decided to check the kitchen. The fridge was a dead give-a-way.

"Find anything?" Gab asked, standing between her and the kitchen.

Asha shook her head. "No, just a bunch of dusty junk downstairs. You?"

Gab shook his head. "I think whoever it was who lived here left sometime ago," he said, hoping that Asha would not insist on checking the living room and the kitchen. "Let's go. Maybe we'll find something at the next address," he said, stepping to the front door.

"Okay," she said to Gab's relief and followed him out.

* * *

A feeling of deja-vu washed through Alec as he peered out of the window of an abandoned building across the street in Chinatown. Being there, searching for Zack reminded him of the time when he and 480 had been looking for Max. The difference was, this time Max was with him.

Initially, he had wondered why Lydecker had asked Max to do something like this. He had thought that surely it would surely be much harder on her to bring Zack back than for Lydecker to assign someone else more impartial. Not that Alec was complaining. Personally, he loved having Max around although they had been bickering like mad about how to run the mission. Both of them were dominant enough to have strong opinions on how to do things, and this time, they disagreed.

Later, he had understood Lydecker's choice when Max had told him what Lydecker had told her. Not wanting the hassle of having to keep chasing Zack down, Lydecker had implied that he wanted Max to talk Zack into coming back instead of dragging Zack back forcefully. Alec had snorted when he heard that. He had no doubts whatsoever that Zack would not want to go back to Manticore, no matter what Max said. Alec's plan was to just knock him out and bring him in. Simple, efficient and quick. Obviously Max disagreed.

And apparently, Lydecker did, too. Lydecker's primary aim was to persuade Zack to come back, but if that failed, Alec was to move to the back-up plan. Lydecker had not been too keen on using force, but he had agreed that if all else failed, they would have no choice but to do so.

"So, he's still there?" Max asked from the room which they had decided to live in while looking for a way to get Zack. Scattered around them was communication equipment, their sleeping bags and rucksacks full of personal items.

Alec nodded, eyes trained on the door where Zack had entered an hour ago. "He's not out yet. I wonder what he's doing in there."

Max shrugged and shoved the comms set in her rucksack together with the rest of the stuff around the room, preparing to confront Zack. She had been dreading this moment ever since they were deployed a few days ago. Since then, they had found Zack and proceeded to study his movements, which had been quite a pointless exercise as he never did anything twice. That did not surprise Max. They had been taught to remain unpredictable if they wanted to remain unspotted. If Lydecker had not given them the tracer, she doubted that they could have found Zack so easily.

When she had finally finished packing, she stood up and walked to the window to stand beside Alec, wrapping one arm loosely around him.

As they watched silently, Zack finally made an appearance and moved down the street.

Alec instantly bolted towards the door. "Let's go!"

Rushing out alongside, Max said, "Let me do the talking, okay?"

"I still don't think he's going to listen, Max," Alec said as they came out in the street, pausing for a moment until they detected Zack walking further down the street. "He's going to run when he sees us."

"I don't think he will," Max said, but there was a small amount of doubt in her voice.

"Right, Max. He escaped with full expectations that Manticore would not let him go so easily. Now, he's alone and there's two of us. You can't seriously think he would just stand there and wait for us to grab him," Alec said, shaking his head at her at her over-optimistic view.

"And am I supposed to believe that ambushing him would be better?" Max asked sarcastically.

"Yes!" was Alec's reply.

"He's going to fight back if we do that."

Pointing back and forth between the two of them, Alec stated flatly, "There's two of us, Max."

Averting her eyes, Max fell silent for a moment and then mumbled something back.

"What?" Alec asked, not catching what she had just said.

"I said, I'm not going to fight him again," Max said in a louder voice, bringing her defiant eyes up to meet his.

"WHAT! Max, that's..." Alec exclaimed, then paused, searching for words in his head to tell her how stupid she was being without pissing her off. Finally giving up, he sighed and said, "Do I want to know why?"

Haltingly, Max replied, "The last time I saw him, we fought..."

"When he escaped?" he prompted.

Max nodded. "I didn't want him to go, so without really thinking, I just tried to stop him. Then when we calmed down a little, regret finally struck me. I mean, Zack loved us and took care of us when we were younger, sometimes at the cost of himself. He would take our punishment when he could, without complaining and without expecting anything back from us. And how did I repay him? By trying to force him to stay in that one place he despises so much. By fighting him. And now, you're asking me to do the same? I don't think I can, Alec."

Alec fell silent at her words. He did not know she felt that way. She had not spoken much about Zack or her other siblings to him and he had never bothered to ask. A small twinge of jealousy prodded him as he imagined how close they must have been.

Alec had never been close to another person in his life, until Max.

A few minutes later, they saw Zack walking into a building. Wordlessly, they followed not far behind, not bothering to hide their presence. Max went into the dimly lit building first, and Alec trailed a small distance behind her.

When she walked down the hallway, a pair of arms suddenly shot out and grabbed her.

"Zack! It's me," Max gasped quickly as she tried to loosen his chokehold he had around her neck.

"Max?" he exclaimed, surprise evident on his face.

Rubbing her neck, she turned to face him. But before she could speak, Zack spotted Alec coming up behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here with that creep?" he asked roughly, backing away.

"Who are you calling a creep?" Alec retorted indignantly. He was still feeling slightly sore about the closeness between Zack and Max.

"Shut up, Alec," Max hissed and then turned to face Zack, "Listen, Zack. We need you to come back with us to Manticore."

Zack snorted, giving Max an incredulous look. "You're kidding, right?"

"No."

"I suppose you think I'm going to say 'yes' and tag along like an obedient puppy?" Zack said mockingly.

Max gritted her teeth, trying not to let Zack's tone get to her. She was finding it hard enough to do what she had been asked to do without letting her emotions out. "No. I just want you to hear me out," she said calmly, trying to ignore Alec, who was standing to one side with his arms crossed in front of him.

Eyeing Alec warily, Zack nodded to Max to continue.

"You once said that Manticore had succeeded in reindoctrinating me. Do you remember what I said at that time?" Max started slowly.

Zack cast his mind back to that day years ago when Max had walked into the medical room which housed both him and Jondy. He could not remember exactly what she had told him, but just that she did not think Manticore was as bad as he thought. At that time, his blood had rushed to his head at her words. What she had told him had hurt him, so he had lashed back at her. And now she wanted him to listen again to the same thing. Zack gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, you were basically defending Manticore at that time, if I remember correctly," Zack said tightly.

"I've already told you what I know about Jack and Eva. Don't get me wrong, I hate the fact that they died like that. But it happened and we need to move on. Doesn't mean we forget about it, but I don't think it should dictate what we think for the rest of our lives," Max said, her eyes pleading with Zack for understanding.

"No Max, I can't move on like that. It would be like forgetting why they died in the first place. Like forgetting how much control Manticore has over us," Zack threw back angrily.

"Zack, things are changing. We are older and we get more say in what we do nowadays, more independence. They've even stopped the intrusive testing. And I get a feeling that Lydecker trusts us to make decisions on Manticore's behalf."

After his last few conversations with Max on this topic, he should have known how she felt. But it did not make it any easier for him to hear her defending Manticore again. "Don't talk about Lydecker! He killed Eva! How could you even be on his side?" Zack shouted loudly, glaring at her furiously.

Alec had heard enough. As Max flinched at Zack's words, Alec stepped forwards. "Hey, there's no need for you to lose it, alright? She's just trying to talk to you," he said calmly, although he was seething inside at the way Zack spoke to Max.

"You stay out of this!" Zack snapped, angry at Alec for a variety of reasons and itching to take his anger out on the other transgenic. He knew that Alec was one of the reasons why Max would never consider him as more than a brother. So Alec had succeeded where he had failed. Alec had also been the CO in charge when he had been captured and the one who had prevented Zack from talking Max into escaping with him at that time.

"Guys…" Max tried to interrupt but they ignored her.

"Well, seeing that this is my mission too, I'm afraid I can't do that," Alec replied with a smirk. "You see, Max and Lydecker think that it's possible to talk you into coming back with us peacefully, but you and I know that that's not going to happen, right?"

Zack snorted. "So what are you going to do about it?" he taunted.

Alec laughed mirthlessly. "What do you think?" he said, stepping towards Zack.

Zack raised his eyebrows as he moved closer to Alec. "You think you could take me on?" he asked in a threatening voice.

"Stop it, you two!" Max yelled as she grabbed Zack's arm to hold him back.

"Max, let me go. This is between him and me now," he said without taking his eyes off Alec. When she continued to hang on to him, Zack shook her hand off and shoved her away, causing her to stagger backwards.

Alec narrowed his eyes at Zack's treatment of Max. "Keep your hands off her," he snarled.

"Or what?" Zack mocked as they finally came face to face. "Max can take care of herself. She doesn't need you to play protector."

"Yeah, but when you're the protector then I suppose you're fine with idea, right?"

Zack stiffened at the accuracy of Alec's deduction. Feigning nonchalance, he said, "I've been looking after her much longer than you have."

"But now you're not. Now it's me," Alec gloated, missing the look on Max's face.

Max wanted to kick them both for talking about her as if she was not there. She realised that somewhere along the way, the conversation had stopped being about bringing Zack back to Manticore, it had become something about her instead. Why was Alec baiting Zack anyway? He had to know that baiting Zack was not going to help their case.

She did not know who started it first, but suddenly, Zack and Alec was grappling with each other.

"Cut it out!" she yelled without avail.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: I don't know about you, but I agree with Alec about Max being over-optimistic in relation to talking Zack into going back with them, lol. Please review and let me know what you think!


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews! Also, a big thank you to **Sirena1** for betaing this chapter! I've finished 'Recollection', a MA fic. And guess what, I've branched into a new territory – a brand new MZ fic called 'Rules Can Be Broken'. So if you have time, please check it out. The MZ fic in particular needs some support!

**Calistra** – Thanks for reviewing! That's the Max we know and love. A bit short-sighted, but hey, it makes things interesting!

**Angel of Darkness231** – For the last time – I'm NOT evil! Lol! Oh yeah, Zack's got a pretty body alright? Did you see him in Cold Comfort?

**Kungfuchick** – You want Alec to kick Zack's butt? Poor Zack, hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**NoAngell** - Welcome back! Good holidays? I'm glad you like the way it's going. And I'm sure you can write something like this if you put your mind to it (winks). Thanks for reviewing!

**Roxyroo** - Thanks for reviewing! In a way, Max's going to get hurt. You'll see soon. As for Zack wanting to die like Ben instead of going back, I really hope it doesn't come to that (shudders).

**W1cked angel** - I wish. Letting them strip and have a go at it is definitely something lots of us would like to see. But (sighs) this IS a K+ fic! Thanks for reviewing!

**LucreziaNoin86** - I can see that you're clearly an Alec fan! Yup, the guys need an excuse to get it out of their system - and Max is the perfect excuse! Thanks for your review!

**Dory Shotgun** - Ah, no wonder I was so confused. I was wondering - what flames? LOL! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chappie! Thanks you reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl **- Thanks for your review! Max knows she can't be without Alec. But her feelings for Zack is creating problems. Who'll win? (Sighs) That's a difficult decision!

**Sakura** - Glad you like it so far. Thanks for reviewing!

**Lakergirl08 **- My thoughts exactly (Max and her weak spot for Zack, I mean). Alec and Zack's fight has been waiting to happen ever since they met couple of years ago, so it's about time it happens! Thanks for your review!

**Eva **- Spoons? LOL! Thanks for reviewing! Hope you'll like how it goes this chapter!

**Alana84 **- Girl, you've got a vicious streak in you when it comes to Zack, lol! But he's pretty arsy in this fic, I must say, lol! You'll see soon what happens. Thanks for reviewing!

**Salcyra **- Thanks for your wonderful words (blushes). I'm glad that you found the progression believable. I hope the rest of it lives up to expectations!

**Lex2u** - Thanks for your review. It's hard to decide what Zack should do. Unless something drastic happens, I'm afraid the three of them will be at a stalemate (sighs)

**Lotamoxie **- I suppose the possessiveness is expected for the two alpha males, lol! What else can we expect! And I feel really sorry for Max being in her position. Thanks for reviewing!

**Amelya **- Ah! Thanks for your kind words! I'm happy so long as you continue to enjoy it!

**Supernateral **- Thanks for your review! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Spanishwon2123** - Like you, I'm a bit undecided too. But I've made a choice, of sorts, in this chapter (winks). You'll see! Thanks for reviewing!

**GuestTypePerson** - Ah, it doesn't matter! I'm happy enough that you're reviewing now, hehe! You'll see soon who'll get beaten…or not! Thanks for reviewing!

**L80bug **- Thanks for reviewing! And yes, update is here!

**Toniboo** - Glad you're enjoying the chapters. Hmm…you might get your wish after all (grins). Thanks for reviewing!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 28 - Jealousy**

(by elle6778)

She did not know who started it first, but suddenly, Zack and Alec was grappling with each other.

"Cut it out!" she yelled with no avail.

They just ignored her.

So she watched, torn between interrupting them and letting them fight out their animosity. Get it all out of their systems. Alec was throwing calculated punches at Zack, who easily blocked all of them. In between blocks, she could see that Zack was trying in vain to find an opening to attack Alec. But Alec's defence was immaculate, not allowing Zack any chances at a hit. Neither of them was being hit by the other.

Max crossed her arms over her chest as her lips twitched. She knew that the situation was far from being funny but somehow, she found herself amused now that she realised that Zack and Alec were equally matched and that neither of them were likely to gain an upper hand. So she continued to watch. At least, until things looked like it might turn nasty.

They went on like that for a few more minutes before Alec spoke in the middle of blocking a kick from Zack. "So, are you ready to give up yet?" He taunted as he swung a backhand at Zack.

Zack snorted as he ducked the blow and came up with an upper hook. "Why, pretty boy? Can't keep up? Looking for an excuse to stop?"

"Who are you calling a pretty boy?" Alec snarled, whipping his head away from Zack's hand, stepping out of harms way.

Zack shrugged as they started to circle each other warily. "Why else would she take up with you?"

"Oh, I don't know. My charming personality, maybe? It's definitely more charming than yours. Say, you can admit it, you know?" Alec taunted, his eyes not leaving Zack's.

"What?" Zack asked with a frown, wondering what Alec was on about.

"That you're jealous," Alec answered with a smirk as his punch found Zack's midsection with a loud thump, causing him to stagger back unsteadily at the impact. Alec grinned at his successful ploy. He had hoped that Zack would be distracted by his taunts.

Regaining his balance, Zack shot him a death glare as he charged forwards. "If you're saying that I'm jealous of you, I'm not!" he growled, annoyed at being hit even when he had known that Alec was trying to get to him on purpose.

Side-stepping Zack's sweeping kick, Alec blurred to the side and tried to catch Zack with a round house as he continued speaking in a mocking tone. "Could have fooled me. Tell me, is it just brotherly love or is it something more?"

Still standing at the sidelines, Max stiffened at Alec's question. How had he guessed what Zack felt? Knowing how possessive Alec was, he would not let Zack go easily if Zack confirmed his feelings. She decided that she should do something before the fight gets out of hand. Stepping closer, she shouted, "That's enough, both of you."

They ignored her.

Blocking Alec's kick with one of his own, Zack raised his eyebrows and said, "So what if it's more than brotherly love, huh? What are you going to do about it?" He put on a challenging look on his face, playing Alec at his own game. Not that it was too hard, considering that what Alec said was pretty close to what he actually felt.

Alec's temper flared as his jealousy rose. "In that case you could kiss my boots," Alec snarled, launching into a sudden flying kick.

"Alec! No!" Max yelled as she rushed forwards, pushing Zack to the ground just before Alec's boot came into contact with Zack's head. She turned back to see Alec crouching on the ground, glaring at her and Zack.

"What did you do that for?" Alec snapped as he picked himself up. He could not believe that Max had actually jumped between him and Zack. She could have been hit, he thought, appalled at the close call.

Max stood to face him, Zack forgotten for the moment. "This is not part of the mission, Alec. We're supposed to talking to him, not beating him up. Why are you letting him get to you anyway?"

"You sound as if you're defending him, Max," he snorted, then continued, "I guess I shouldn't be so surprised," he said with a self-deprecating smile. He tried to ignore the hurt in him that was brought on by Max defensive action of Zack. A part of him wondered if it was such a good idea to bring Zack back. Being back in Manticore would mean that Zack would have more access to Max. Alec felt his anger grow.

Max rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Oh, come off it, will you?"

A shuffle from the side suddenly caught their attention. Zack was pushing himself up, brushing the dust off himself. "Well, look who's jealous now," he mocked, then turned to Max. "Listen, Max. Whatever you say to me, I'll not come with you. It's just not right. So save your breath."

"Told you so," Alec muttered under his breath. His annoyance with Max was growing more acute the longer they stood there arguing. She just refused to see what was so clearly displayed in front of her.

Max heard it and threw Alec a glare. "Shut up!" she snapped, missing the stiffening of his spine at her harsh words. Then she turned to Zack and in a gentler tone, said. "Zack, you can't run anyway. Manticore's got a tracer on you."

"What?" Zack exclaimed loudly. "Where?"

Max shook her head. "I don't know."

"So that's why it took you all this time to find me right? Why not just drag me back a couple month ago?" Zack asked sceptically.

Alec rolled his eyes and retorted, "Maybe Lydecker was too busy to deal with you at that time. Who knows?"

"You stay out of this!" Zack snapped.

"Hey, this is my mission too, you know," Alec pointed out. Turning to Max, he asked, "Are we going to stay here all day talking in circles?"

Max frowned. "Alec, we're meant to _talk_ Zack into coming back, not force him back."

Alec said tightly, "That's _your_ order. I have a different one." He knew that Max would not be too happy to hear it but an order was an order. And he was determined to carry it through. And of course it had nothing to do with the burning anger he felt at Zack for daring to think of Max as more than a sibling. Or his annoyance at Max for defending Zack.

"What do you mean?" she asked, giving him a questioning look.

Moving closer to Zack, Alec said, "I'm instructed to bring him back if you failed to persuade him," he said evenly. Then he suddenly blurred towards Zack, catching him in a chokehold.

"Alec!" Max yelled, rushing towards them. Her mind was still whirring with Alec's words. She could not believe that Lydecker had told Alec to bring Zack back forcibly if she had failed to persuade him. _Damn that man!_

Zack struggled, trying to break the hold. Alec had caught him unawares but he had no intention of giving up. Bringing his arms forward, Zack swung it backwards and caught Alec in the ribs with his elbows.

"Shit!" Alec swore as he gritted his teeth against the pain in his side. A second later, the back of Zack's head came into contact with his face. Alec involuntarily loosened his hold, staggering back as he clutched his bleeding nose. "Damn it," he yelled angrily as he charged at Zack.

"Stop it!" Max yelled, trying to keep them apart without actually stepping into the fray and getting herself killed between two alpha males.

"Stay away, Max," Zack snapped, pushing her to the side. Unfortunately for him, that split second of distraction allowed Alec to land a hard punch in his guts. Zack doubled over as his breath got knocked out of him.

"Zack!" Max exclaimed as she rushed to his side, just to be intercepted by Alec.

"Don't, Max. Just let me do my job!" Alec said calmly, stepping between her and Zack.

"Not if it means that you're going to beat him up," Max yelled, her eyes shooting daggers at Alec as she grabbed his arm.

They did not notice that Zack had stood up and had taken a running leap at Alec, his feet coming into contact with Alec's side before Alec could react. The impact sent Alec tumbling over, his heavier body propelling Max down with him.

Alec swore as he clutched his ribs, the same ones which Zack elbowed earlier. He looked up to see Zack blurring away in the distance. _No point chasing after him now. Might as well get some rest and try again tomorrow,_ he thought irritably.

Pushing himself off Max, he bit out sarcastically, "Happy now?"

Max gave him a look of annoyance as she heaved herself off the ground. "Shut up, Alec!"

Alec frowned at her tone as his irritation grew. In his mind, Max was being too soft when it came to her so-called brother. As if that was not enough, she had to make it difficult for him to carry out his part of the mission by physically getting between them.

"You know, Max. You sounded as if I'm the one doing something wrong here. I have my orders too, and I'm not about to ignore it," he said, clenching his jaw.

"Just give me a chance to talk to him. Can't you do that without any physical violence?" she snapped.

"You _talked_ to him already, Max. He's not going to see it your way. Why can't you just get that?" Alec said coldly. He had had enough of arguing with Max about Zack. Max would always take her siblings' side no matter what he said, he thought. He tried to ignore his feeling of disappointment in her choice.

Oblivious to what Alec was feeling, Max had only heard the coldness in his voice. Her lips compressed as she said curtly, "I have to try."

"Whatever," he said dismissively as he turned to walk away, in no mood to continue the conversation. There was no way they could agree and the last thing he wanted was for them to carry on arguing. He supposed that there was only one thing they could do.

"Where are you going?" Max asked, staring at him.

Ignoring her question, he said with a weary sigh, "Look, Max, it's very clear to me that we'll never see eye to eye on this. And since Lydecker gave you one order and me another, I suggest that we should just try to carry it out without stepping on each other's toes."

Max's eyes widened as a sinking feeling appeared in her stomach at his words. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

He averted his gaze and said resolutely, "I hate to say this but I think it might be better if we just do this separately. But let me check with Lydecker first."

Unblinkingly, Max stared at his retreating back as she cursed the entire situation they were in.

* * *

Jondy had had enough of seeing that blonde tart sidling up to Gab whenever she could. Asha and Gab had just gotten back from another trip out to check the addresses they had gotten from Logan. Jondy narrowed her eyes as she saw Asha laying her hand on Gab as she leaned over his shoulders to peer at something on the dining table at Logan's place. 

A small part of her wondered if she should just forget about the entire thing with Gab. After all, he had not shown her any interest even after she had practically told him how she felt. Maybe she should just go for someone more available. And more interested.

Her eyes drifted to Logan, the only other person in the penthouse that day apart from the three of them. She wondered if she should go for him. After all, it was her mission. So at least she had a good excuse, right? He did not look that bad, either, for someone so much older.

Getting up from the couch abruptly, she mentally slapped herself when she realised what she was thinking about. _Jondy, that's just sick_, she told herself in disgust. Barely sparing a glance at the other three, she said, "I'm heading home. Not feeling too well."

Logan looked up from his keyboard. "What's wrong, Jondy?" he asked, his concern evident.

Jondy shook her as she gave him a reassuring smile. "Headache. Nothing major. I've just got to sleep it off," she said, noting that Gab had now looked up from the table and was giving her a strange look.

"I'll walk you home," Gab said.

"No!" she said vehemently, to the surprise of the other three. Then in a softer voice, she continued, "You keep working on the locations. I'll be fine."

Before anyone could answer, she opened the door and shut it behind her.

Asha and Logan looked at each other and shrugged

Then Gab said, "I'll go with her, just in case." And went out the same way as Jondy, leaving Asha and Logan alone in the penthouse.

"It's a bit strange without the two of them around," Logan commented. "Kind of got used to them this couple of months."

Asha nodded. "Yeah. They're good to have around. It's quite surprising how skilled they are."

"Hmm…" Logan said distractedly and then continued, "I think I might have a lead on Manticore." He brought up a still aerial image of a small section of Wyoming. He pointed to a couple of rectangular dots. "Look. About a couple of months ago, for two days, there had been an increase of heavy vehicles moving out from the place we had thought was Manticore's facility. This was just before White started the raid."

Asha frowned in concentration. "You mean it was occupied but then they had left? And we've just missed them?"

Logan nodded. "Seems like it. The vehicles scattered after that. It'll take me some more time to figure out where they've all gone."

"I'm sure you'll find them, Logan. Do you want us to check out any other places?"

"I can't believe that none of the addresses checked out. We must have missed something," Logan said as he scrolled down the list which he had given to Asha and Gab.

Asha thought for a while before she said, "There was one which I had felt that it might be occupied, but I wasn't sure."

Logan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I checked the basement and Gab checked the rest of the house. The place didn't feel damp or smell as musty as it should be if it had been abandoned. But maybe the people just moved out," Asha explained, wondering if she should have gone through the house twice that day.

"Maybe. Or maybe Manticore got wind of what we're doing," Logan mused, then turned to face Asha fully, "I think you should go there again, just in case we've missed something."

Asha nodded in agreement. "I'll let Gab know," she said.

Logan smiled as he gave her a knowing look. "You do that."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Asha asked, "What's that look supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing important. Just that I've noticed that you and Gab are getting pretty close. Something going on?"

A blush crept up Asha's neck and cheeks as she said softly, "I don't know."

"Just be careful, okay?" Logan advised before turning back to his computer.

* * *

As they sat on the stone cold floor of yet another abandoned building, Max let her eyes wander to Alec, who appeared to be brooding. He had been quieter than usual ever since Zack had made a run for it. 

She still could not believe that they had fought about the mission. Alec knew that she had wanted to talk to Zack and she had told him that it would probably take some time before Zack would even listen, let alone agree with her. As if that was not enough, he had even suggested for them to go their separate ways.

Unable to stand the silence any longer, Max asked shortly, "What's wrong with you?"

Alec looked up from the gun he had been cleaning. "What do you mean, what's wrong with me? You're the one who decided to sulk over Zack," Alec said in an overly-casual tone.

"I'm not sulking," she paused for a while, then continued, "Actually I'm feeling a bit upset. I can't believe that you want us to split." She threw a challenging look at him, whose seemingly calm façade was beginning to get on her nerves.

Alec took a deep breath before he answered, "Look, Max. I need to get the job done, but I can't do it when you're trying to stop me."

"I thought that we had agreed that we should talk to him first," Max said insistently.

"No. I didn't agree to do anything like that._ You_ were the one who had to talk. I was the back-up just in case talking didn't work. And guess what? It didn't work," Alec explained icily.

Max recoiled at his coldness, somewhat hurt that he could bring himself to speak to her that way. Gritting her teeth, she made up her mind to go look for Zack herself. They had two scanners for Zack's tracer anyway. If Alec wanted to split up so much, then so be it. "Fine. Have it your way, then. I don't care," Max retorted in a flat tone as she turned away from him.

Alec shot out a hand and grabbed her before she could take a step. "You're just going to walk away like this?" he asked, an incredulous look on his face. He had expected her to shout back, yell at him, but not walk away.

She swiveled to face him, her eyes flashing. "It was your idea to split up, remember? Anyway, what do you expect me to do? Join you in bashing Zack up? I can't do that, Alec!" she said resolutely.

Alec stared at her stonily as he let go of her arm. Numbly, he realized that Max preferred to go their separate ways than to face Zack together if it did not involve _talking_. Alec's blood began to boil.

"No. Stupid of me to think that you could carry out this mission without letting your emotions get in the way. He's your _brother_ after all. And oh, he also wants to be_ more_ than a brother to you. But I guess you know that already. So what shall we call him, huh? A brother with fringe benefits?" he taunted in a caustic tone. The second the words left his lips, Alec knew that he had gone too far.

Incensed at his insinuations, Max swung her hand to his face, but Alec caught it just a fraction of an inch before it contacted with his cheeks. His grip was hard, but she did not even wince as she eyed him angrily.

They glared at each other for a few minutes before Max tore her gaze away before he could see the sheen of moisture in her eyes. Without saying anything else, she picked up her half of the kit and walked off, leaving Alec to stare at her back.

When the door slammed shut behind Max, Alec let himself sink bonelessly to the ground. Burying his face in his hands, he groaned in despair at the entire situation.

* * *

He hoped that Jondy was alright, Gab thought as he walked up the stairs to their shared apartment. Feeling slightly guilty at the way he had been treating her ever since that night when she had implied that she liked him, his frowned contemplatively. That woman might be a pain, but he somehow kept feeling as if he should be treating her better. 

_I can't let her get under my skin,_ he thought resolutely as he shook his head to clear it.

A strange noise filtered through the door of their apartment as Gab paused with his hand on the door handle. It sounded like someone was hurt in there. Only Biggs and Jondy were meant to be in there and Gab hoped that they were alright. Worried now, he frowned slightly as he pushed the door open.

He stiffened in shock, gaping wordlessly when the door swung wide open to reveal the source of the noise.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: (Cowers in fear) Don't kill me for what's happening with Max and Alec, please! And please review and let me know what you think! I love to read your reviews!


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: As usual, a big thank you to **Sirena1** for betaing this chapter. (Sighs) Max and Alec's tiff will not be sorted this chapter, unfortunately. Actually, nothing is really resolved in this chapter now that I think of it…but things are happening! Argh, enough of my babbling!

**Calistra **– Lucky Biggs, I would say, lol! Yup…and poor Gab. The resolution between Alec and Max (sighs) will not for a while yet. Thanks for reviewing!

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Hey, what's wrong with my cliffies? LOL! Anyway, I think deep down inside (very deep down), you actually like those cliffies (grins). Thanks for your review!

**W1cked angel** – Thanks for reviewing! It's amazing how many of you got it right! Hope you enjoy the K+ version of the scene, hehe!

**Ro** – Thanks for your review. Are you even surprised that Max reacted that way? (Grins) Being hot-headed and doing things before thinking seemed to be her usual way of solving stuff. Hehe! Considering that this is a MA fic, they will get together…eventually.

**Alana84** – Max's hopelessly wishful when it comes to her siblings, lol! Much to Alec's irritation, unsurprisingly. And poor Gab…things will get worse before it gets better for the guy! Thanks for reviewing!

**Kungfuchick **– Ha! You might be right about Biggs and Jondy – you'll see soon! Yeah, Alec's definitely right this time. (sighs) This is going to be a struggle to resolve. Thanks for reviewing!

**Anna** – Nah, I'm not that bad. I update every 5 to 7 days nowadays, so not such a long wait, right (grins). Thanks for reviewing!

**LucreziaNoin86 **– What's wrong with the cliffhanger? I'm sure you can guess what happened anyway! LOL! Thanks for reviewing!

**Roxyroo** – Thanks for your review. Hmm…you'll have to see soon what actually happened between Gab and Jondy (winks). Yeah, it's better for Alec and Max to do it separately, but it's killing them!

**GuestTypePerson** – Hehe! Admit it, you secretly like those cliffies, lol! No killer book carts around anymore, so it'll be quite safe for you and college is pretty harmless! I'm feeling sorry for both Max and Alec, but it had to be done (sighs). As for the apartment (grins evilly) you'll soon see!

**Mel11** – No worries. I'm happy to see you reviewing now, so thanks! Hope you're not getting too much homework! Max and Alec would hopefully sort it out, but not anytime soon, I'm afraid.

**Dory Shotgun** – Ha! Exactly! The angsty couple thing must make an appearance in their lives, hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl/darkangelgirl262** – You registered! Glad you like the way things are going for Max and Alec. It's getting a bit angsty there but like you said, it had to happen. You'll see soon what's going on in the apartment! Thanks for reviewing!

**Toniboo** – Thanks for reviewing! Hmm…(smiles sheepishly) It'll take some time before Max comes to her senses about Alec.

**Lakergirl08** – You're right about Max and Alec. They need to work it out somehow though, but that's going to happen only later. As for the apartment, you'll soon see (grins). Thanks for reviewing!

**Eva** – Ah! Spoons. Interesting to know there's an Irish term like that. I understand now, thank! Hehe! Alec and Max is going through a rough patch right now (sighs). Thanks for your review.

**L80bug** – Yeah, sorry about that but it had to happen some time (winks). It'll be fixed, but not in this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

**Angelofdarkness78** – No worries about last chapter. Hey, hey, it's going to get better for Zack, so don't fret! Both crazy alpha male after Max…poor Max. Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Spanishwon2123 **– But this is ANGSTY arguing. It's painful even for me! Hehe! Anyway, you'll see soon if you like the Gab/Jondy scene. Thanks for your review!

**Aleja21 **– (Grins) Welcome to my never-ending story (it will end sometime, I promise!)! And yes, how did you manage to miss it seeing that it had ben on for so long, lol! Glad that you like it so far and thanks for reviewing!

**Lotamoxie** – Thanks for reviewing! Your feelings about Jondy and Biggs might be right, you know, lol! Ahem, yes…about Alec and Max, things will be a bit rough for awhile (Backs away nervously).

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 29 – Hide and Seek**

(by elle6778)

He just stood there stock-still gaping at the doorway, his could barely believe what his eyes were telling him.

Caught up in the throes of passion, the two naked transgenics on the couch was oblivious to his entry. The male was positioned over the female, moving enthusiastically, causing the female to moan her appreciation out loud. It was more than obvious what they were doing.

Questions began to race through his mind. _When did this happen? Why didn't they tell me? Why Biggs, of all people? If it was someone else, he could have happily pummelled them to smithereens. He could not do that to Biggs. Biggs was his friend. And the biggest question of all was, why the hell did he care anyway?_

_Because you like her, stupid_, an exasperated voice in his head piped up.

"Oh, shit!" Gab muttered under his breath as he digested what that voice was telling him. He liked Jondy and he had been too stupid to see it before. His heart began to race and he forced himself to take a deep breath to calm himself. He knew that he had to do something but he could not move or tear his eyes away from the sickening scene in front of him. Biggs and Jondy were still on the couch, too busy ravishing each other like overheated rabbits to sense his presence.

His nose twitched as he detected a warm scent. A familiar, but new scent. Then his eyes widened in realisation. Jondy was in heat. His body reacted instantly to the pheromones as his brain began to cloud over. The first and foremost thought he had was to run across the room and yank Biggs off Jondy. And to claim his mate.

_No!_ A sane voice in his head shouted at him. _Get out while you can, Gab! Before things get even worse. Remember what happened with Sandy?_

Gab shook his head in an attempt to clear it, then gritting his teeth, he turned and stepped back out of the door. The scent of pheromones immediately ceased as he shut the door and leaned against it. A second later, he stiffened as he heard something which made his heart clench painfully.

The sound of Jondy screaming and Biggs groaning as they reached completion.

A feeling of disbelief washed through him. "No…" he cracked out desperately, sliding weakly down the door. But what else did he expect when two people have sex? Burying his head in his hands, he squeezed his eyes shut and willed himself not to go in and beat the hell out of Biggs. It was not entirely Biggs' fault, Gab knew that for sure. Like any other male transgenics, Biggs would not have been able to resist a female in heat. It was the way they were made.

Unable to face them so soon after the…incident, Gab stood up abruptly and ran down the stairs, needing to put some distance between himself and the apartment.

* * *

Their sweaty limbs still entangled, Biggs and Jondy looked at each other with a mixture and shock and guilt. Carefully, Biggs raised himself up and proceeded to collect their tattered clothes from the floor, putting his on and bringing Jondy hers. Wordlessly, Jondy took it and quickly covered herself.

Then they sat down side by side on the sofa, not looking at each other as they mulled over what had just happened. Both were very subdued, in complete contrast to their usual lively selves.

Wanting to break the silence, Jondy said softly, "Did you hear the door slam?"

Biggs looked up as a frown appeared on his brow. "Yeah, I thought it was my imagination." _Shit, maybe it was Gab,_ he thought, appalled at the possibility of being caught in such an intimate act with a fellow soldier.

Jondy shook her head. "If you heard it and I heard it, it must have been real. I think maybe Gab came back," she said with a slight tremble, voicing his thoughts. "Hell! Of all things to happen," she groaned as she rubbed her forehead in distress.

Uncomfortable with the entire situation, Biggs was at a loss as to how to deal with it. Worst thing was, he had actually thought that Gab and Jondy had something going on, just that they were both too stubborn to admit it. And now that he had accidentally come into the picture, things would get even more complicated. Being with Jondy had been nice. Hell, it had been a mind-blowing experience. But it was not worth the guilt he was feeling now and also the hurt he might have caused Gab and Jondy.

Knowing that Jondy probably felt as bad as he did, or maybe even worse, he tentatively wrapped a consoling arm around her. "It'll be okay, Jondy. It's not like you could help it," he said gently.

Jondy swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself not to cry as she shook her head. "How could you say that? We've just had sex, and Gab had just walked and saw it." And now she would have no chance at all to get together with Gab, she added mournfully, an silently

Biggs gave her a lop-sided smile and replied, "Well, I think he would understand," then trying to lighten the mood, he continued with a grin, "Anyway, you couldn't have possibly resisted my charming self."

The corner of Jondy's lips twitched involuntarily.

"And if it helps, you could tell him it's all my fault. That I'm too hot for you to stay away," he said, hoping that his miserable attempts at a joke would cheer her up.

Jondy smiled reluctantly. "You're hopeless at this consoling business, you know that?"

Biggs rolled his eyes. "Well, someone had to try, right? And who says it's not working? You're smiling, aren't you?"

"Alright. Fine, it worked," she admitted grudgingly. Then she sighed, "What do we do now?"

Grinning as he waggled his eyebrows, Biggs said cheekily, "Up for another round at it?"

"Biggs! That's not funny!" Jondy exclaimed in horror.

He held his hands up between them in defence. "Okay, okay…Don't freak out," he paused for a moment. Then a worried look came across his face and he asked apprehensively, "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Jondy chucked at his expression. "No. Pretty good actually," she admitted sheepishly.

"Ha! I knew it!" he said, visibly puffing out his chest as he stood up.

She rolled her eyes. Men! "So what are we going to do about the whole thing?"

He knew that she meant what they were going to do about Gab. Thoughtfully, he said, "I think we should just wait for him to come back first. Then we talk. Hopefully."

"If he comes back," Jondy mumbled.

"He has to," Biggs said, but he could not keep the worry from his eyes.

* * *

Lydecker's lips compressed in a thin line as he held the phone tighter. The news he was receiving was far from being welcomed.

"So where is she now?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level.

The person on the other end of the phone replied, "I could not pin-point her location accurately, but since we are both tracking the same person, she can't be too far away."

"But you don't know where she is," Lydecker stated flatly.

"No, sir."

"I fail to understand how this could have happened, 494. You two are meant to be working together as a unit. Who made the decision to split up?" Lydecker asked harshly.

Under normal circumstances, he would not be worried if Max was working alone. But the fact that this mission involved one of her siblings gave him cause for concern. He had been honest when he had told her that she had been classified as non-flight risk, but Lydecker was not sure what would happen if Zack managed to convince her to run instead of her convincing him to come back. Sandeman would not be too pleased with him if Max ran away again, he thought with a grimace.

"I suggested it first, sir," Alec said levelly.

"And what the hell did you do that for?" Lydecker snapped, hardly believing what he was hearing. It did not occur to him to think that it might have been Alec who initiated the split. If he had to guess, he would have said that it had been Max, knowing how impulsive she could be at times.

"It seemed more efficient to carry out our mission this way, seeing that both of us have different instructions on how proceed."

"I have a feeling that's not all. Did something happen between 599 and you?" Lydecker asked shrewdly.

There was a small pause before Alec answered, "We engaged in a fight, sir."

Lydecker almost groaned. _Those teenage hormones,_ he thought in annoyance when he realised what must have happened. "I see. And I suppose this fight is over Max?"

He could hear Alec clearing his throat uncomfortably before replying, "Only part of it, sir."

Lydecker sighed. He had only himself to blame for that. Belatedly, he realised that he should have sent someone else other than Alec. In a weary tone, he said, "Alright. Just keep an eye on her. Give her a chance to talk to 599 first before you make your move. It'll take time. If in three weeks it looks like she's not likely to succeed, you step in."

"Sir, I don't think she's going to like being watched over."

"494, I'm sure with all the skills you have, you would be able to keep out of her sight," Lydecker said as his lips twitched.

"Yes, sir."

Lydecker hung up the phone and paced the length of his office. There was nothing much he could do now. After all, it was his and Sandeman's idea to allow them some freedom to make their own decisions. He would just have to trust that both of them knew what they were doing.

Especially Max.

As if on cue, his phone rang again. The display showed an unknown number.

He picked it up. "Yes?" he barked.

"Sir, it's 452 reporting," Max said over the phone.

"Max. I've just had an interesting call from 494."

"Oh." She sounded uncomfortable. "We have decided that working together on this would not be beneficial to the mission, sir," she explained.

"That's what he said as well," Lydecker said with a sigh, then continued, "I have a good idea why this had happened, but you need to try to keep your emotions out of this, Max. It'll cloud your judgement."

"Sir, this decision wasn't made as a result of any emotional involvement," Max protested.

"Good," Lydecker said, but he was not fully convinced. "I've told him to give you three weeks to carry out your instruction, and then I'm afraid that 494 will have to bring 599 back any way he sees fit."

There was a small pause from Max before she answered, "Understood, sir."

"Keep me posted on what's happening, alright?"

"Yes, sir. 599 seems to be heading south-west of Seattle. At the moment, I'm still trying to find an appropriate opportunity to talk to him," she reported.

"Make it sooner rather than later. You only have three weeks. I need you back here after that, Max."

"Yes, sir."

Lydecker hung up the phone for the second time in the last half an hour.

* * *

It had been two days since he had seen Jondy in a compromising position with Biggs. And for those two days, all he had done was to try to blank out those unwanted images. Deep inside, he knew that he should not blame them, but it was harder said than done. He had not been able to make himself go back to their apartment. Every time he thought that he had mustered enough courage to do so, the image of their tangled limbs came back to haunt him and he would break out in cold sweat. How could he not have realised how much he liked Jondy?

So for two days, he had been camping out in Asha's living room. In hiding, he thought, disgusted with himself.

He had gone back to Logan's place that day, hoping that they had something for him to do to keep his mind occupied. Much to his consternation, Asha had told him that they would need to check out the place where Sandeman lived again, as she and Logan had suspected that something was not quite right in that place. They had planned to do the reconnaissance again the following day. So that night, he had gone to warn Kelpy.

After a quick phone call to Lydecker, they had packed the essentials and moved out that very night. Gab had procured them a car. Since Manticore had supplied them with various identity cards and sector passes which proclaimed them as a family, they should be able to pass through the sector checkpoints quite easily.

Asha had not been too pleased when they had gone back the next day to find that the occupants had obviously moved out just recently.

* * *

Max was tired. For two days she had been following the blip on the tracer. On foot. The loneliness she felt was even more pronounced without Alec. It had been hard to try to keep thoughts of Alec at bay. She could not afford to be distracted by him now. She could not afford to break down in pieces and scream in frustration at the way things were going on between them.

Zack had decided to leave Seattle, and was now in some place called Olympia, approximately one hundred miles south-west of Seattle. One hundred miles in a straight line. But Zack had decided to make use of their Escape and Evade training. That meant that the one hundred miles became more like a hundred and fifty miles because he kept backtracking and going in circles. Thankfully Zack did not have shark DNA, which meant that he had to stop occasionally to rest.

Like tonight.

The woods which she had followed him into were pitch black, but she did not have any problem finding her way. Max wondered where he was planning to go. Only one way to find out, she thought to herself as she approached his resting place, which was half a mile from where she was hiding.

She found him leaning against a tree, eyes shut. As she got closer, his eyes snapped open and he bounced up, instantly alert.

"Hey, Zack," she greeted softly as she walked towards him. She hoped that he trusted her enough not to run, especially after that scene with Alec a couple of days before.

"Max," he said, looking around her, obviously trying to see if anyone else was there. Like Alec.

"He's not here," she said as she tugged his hand to make him sit down beside her.

Zack looked at her suspiciously as he sat down. "Yeah, I believe that. He doesn't strike me as the type who would willingly leave you alone."

Her tone subdued, she said, "We had a disagreement on how to carry out this mission. So we've decided to split up."

Raising his eyebrow, Zack said, "The part where you want to talk and he wants to just drag me back to home sweet home by my ears?"

Max's lips twitched. "Yeah. I suppose you could say that."

After a moment of silence, Zack spoke, "I hate to say this, Max. But I agree with the guy."

"What?" Max exclaimed, staring at Zack incredulously. "Why?"

"Purely from a tactical point and provided it's not me who's the target, I would do the same thing," he said with a wry smile.

"Is this a guy thing or what? What's the use of bringing someone back forcefully? They'll just find another way to escape," Max countered, taking care to use a third person as a reference. Maybe that way, she would get a better idea of how to proceed. And to avoid antagonising Zack further. She noticed that he seemed to be calmer without Alec around.

"Yes. If the person doesn't see any reason to remain, he would escape anyway. No matter what anyone tells him. So taking would be a waste of time," he explained.

"What if it's not safe for the person to remain outside?"

He shrugged. "The person could take his chances rather than being captured and controlled. The price of freedom," Zack said resolutely.

"So freedom is the issue here. What if I say things are changing, and as a compromise, the person could have some freedom to make selected decisions?"

Zack snorted. "What sort of decisions? Say the person wanted to live wherever he wanted, instead of being stuck in a shared dorm. Are those sorts of decision acceptable?"

"It makes it harder to make sure the person's safe if he's all over the place," Max argued.

"Okay, so if the person stays in one place and makes sure the security is tight, would that be a problem?"

Max looked thoughtful. Zack had a point there. Sighing heavily, she finally said, "I don't know. But how do you go about doing stuff without being noticed?"

"Come on, Max, we've been doing that for years. Don't you think it's nice to be able to do basic things like eat and sleep whenever you want instead of having to follow a schedule?"

Max nodded. "That sounds good. But even life outside is not like that. We would still have to work, and there're normally set times for it. Not that I know much about it, I haven't worked before," she paused for a moment, and then remembering something, she said, "You know. I think I know what bugged me the most when I was out there. The hand-to-mouth existence. Yeah, I agree that not being able to control things actually sucks. But hiding, running and stealing was worse. Having to keep looking over your shoulders all the time."

"I didn't know that you were so unhappy out there," Zack said softly as he drew her into a hug. Then he smiled at her, "Wouldn't it be nice if we could have the best of both worlds?"

Max returned his smile. "I'll make sure I ask Lydecker the next time I see him," she said seriously.

Zack laughed. "I would love to see his face."

Max covered her yawn with the back of her hand. "I'm so tired. And it's all your fault."

Zack grinned. "What? After all that training you're still out of shape? Such a waste of Manticore's resources," he teased.

Max punched him lightly on his arms and then laid down, using her rucksack as a pillow. "Well, I'm going to sleep."

Zack nodded as he stretched himself out next to her.

They soon fell asleep, not noticing that there was a dark figure hidden behind a tree, observing them with barely controlled jealousy in his eyes.

* * *

Alec fumed as he quietly sat down on the ground, resigning himself to yet another solitary night.

It was too far for him to hear what they had been saying, but what he had seen made him want to gag. He could not believe that Max was actually falling for that jerk's charms. She had even allowed him to hug her. And they were even sleeping together now. What the hell was that all about?

If Lydecker had not told him specifically to stay out of Max's sight, he would have gone over right then and punched the lights out of Zack.

In the last couple of days, he had had a chance to think about what had happened between the three of them. Max obviously cared about Zack. Alec did not like it, but he could accept that. What he could not accept were Zack's feelings for Max, and Max's blind loyalty to him. Whatever she might have said to the contrary, Alec knew that when it came to Zack, she would always let her feelings cloud her mind.

She had even chose Zack over him this time, he thought resentfully. A small voice inside told him that she had to do it in order to carry out her mission, but it was hard for him to accept that.

Grumbling under his breath, he tried to catch some sleep, knowing that it would be another long day tomorrow.

* * *

Rays of light had just begun to filter through the gaps between the trees when Max opened her eyes.

Without turning around, she knew that Zack was still there. Sometime in the middle of the night, they must have shifted in their sleep, because at the moment, Zack was pressed against her back with one arm around her waist. She was pleasantly surprised at the conversation they had had the night before. It had been nice to talk to him without either of them getting angry at each other. Max smiled, enjoying the warmth of his body and then instantly felt guilty.

Alec would kill them both if he saw them like this, she thought. Especially since Zack had practically told Alec how he felt towards her.

Her heart began to clench as she remembered the way they had parted. Stop it, Max! Pull yourself together and stop thinking about him, she told herself harshly.

Carefully, she tried to move without waking Zack.

Zack woke up the instant she stirred, pulling his arms away and sitting up straight. He looked at her with an unreadable expression.

Before she could say anything, the sound of snapping twigs caught their attention.

Both of them jumped up and started to scan the area silently. Catching a movement out of the corner of her eyes, Max snapped around to see someone walking about 100 feet away.

She gasped when she realised who it was.

And then a smile spread across her face.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: So? What do you think of the entire thing with MA and JG? Want to guess who Max saw at the end? (Grins) Please review and let me know your thoughts.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: As usual, a big thank you to **Sirena1** for betaing this chapter. She's great at betaing. I can't believe how fast she managed to do it every time.

A couple of reviewers pointed out that I said this is going to end at Chapter 30. (Rolls eyes) I guess you can see that it's not likely to happen, lol! Now I'm aiming for 40 chapters. By the way, I'm going off on holidays again. I'll update when I get back on the 26th or 27th Oct.

**Toniboo** – Hehe, you have got one right, kind of. You'll see soon! Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for reviewing. Oh, I think Zack is a bit confused about his feelings for Max. So it came out as he liked her _that_ way, which makes things interesting for us. (grins)

**Sakura (sakuraakira365)** – Hmm, now that you mentioned it, 30 chapters seem a bit optimistic, right? LOL! Continuing saga? It already feels like that to me, hehe! There's actually an ending which I'm working to, but a few things have to happen first. Thanks for reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl262** – Loved your theory. It would have been really angsty to have that happen that way, but I think those two deserve a break from the misery for a while. And I haven't forgotten about White/Logan, just waiting for the right time. You'll see (grins). Thanks for reviewing.

**Ceel** – Welcome, new reviewer! Thanks for reviewing! Max hated Manticore at first, but she slowly got used to it. I'm glad that you like the fic. (Grins) It's not Alec or her siblings.

**Sakura (88hainesde)** – Thanks for your review! I hope you'll like this chapter.

**Calistra **– Yeah, heat is awful for them, but hey, it makes things more interesting for us, lol! Jondy and Gab will talk soon. Alec and Max will also sort things out. Thanks for reviewing.

**Angelofdarkness78** – Yeah, Gab is getting really depressed about Jondy, but it'll soon be sorted out. Yeah, I needed to show Zack's POV for a bit, and to give a chance for Max to argue her case.

**W1cked angel** – Thanks for reviewing. Hehe! Yeah, he found out how he felt alright, but like you say, in a wrong way. It'll be uncomfortable for them for a while but they'll sort it out.

**Supernatural **– Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you like the story. You'll see soon who she saw.

**Mel11** - Gab is having a tough time dealing with it, I feel sorry for him too. Nope, it's not Alec or Gab. (grins) You'll see soon. Thanks for reviewing!

**Aleja21 **– Glad you're enjoying it so far. It's about 80 through, so about 10 more chapters and we'll see the end of this. Thanks for reviewing!

**L80bug** – You're right, she wouldn't be smiling joyously at Alec for the moment. But it's not one of the sibs either (grins). Thanks for reviewing.

**LucreziaNoin86 **– Okay, okay. No more cliffies for the moment. Hehe! Nope, it's not Alec. Thanks for reviewing!

**Roxyroo** – No, Max won't be exactly happy to see Alec there, you're right. Gab and Jondy will get it straightened out soon, kind of. Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**IzanagiMikoto **– Wow! That was the longest review I'd ever got for this story! Thank you very much! I wouldn't worry too much about Max and Alec. Zack would be a complication, but what's a relationship without a few bumps. And yes! It's a MA fic, hehe! I hope you don't mean I downplay Alec's ability, because that's not my intention. Hmm…I don't think you'll like what I did with Jondy and Gab in this chapter based on your review. And yes, it'll eventually be JG. As for it finishing 20 to 30 chapters, I guess it's now crystal clear that that's not happening! Lol! I'll just aim for 40 chapters this time!

**Spanishwon2123 **– Ah, you'll find out soon anyway! Glad you find the Jondy and Biggs scenario interesting. Very painful for Gab, though! Thanks for reviewing!

**A reader** – You're right! Hehe! I think it's highly unlikely that Max would managed to convince him to go with her, though! Thanks for reviewing!

**GuestTypePerson** – LOL! Okay, okay, no more cliffies. I didn't realize there were so many in a row – got carried away! So, you'll be safe for a while! (grins) Jondy and Gab would make a start at working things out this chapter. Max and Alec too. Thanks for reviewing!

**Eva** – No, Gab really didn't deserve to see that. But at least now he knew how he felt for Jondy. I want to hug him too! Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

**Anna **– (Blushes) Glad you're enjoying the story. Okay…okay…no more cliffies… for now! LOL! Thank for reviewing!

**Angel of Darkness231** – Fine! No cliffies this time, you'll be glad to hear. Hehe! Had too many irritated readers on my case! Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Yeah, but bad stuff happens sometimes, and Gab's just got caught in it. It's going to be awkward for those three for awhile.

**Lakergirl08 **– You're right, it's not Alec. The JBG triangle is just starting to show, hehe, don't let the end of this chapter lull you into complacency! Thanks for reviewing!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 30 – Try Again**

(by elle6778)

She gasped when she realised who it was.

And then a smile spread across her face.

At that moment, the object of Max's interest turned around and noticed her. Then with a smile similar to Max's, the girl with the dark blonde hair blurred towards Max and Zack.

Grinning, she snapped an enthusiastic salute. "Ma'am!"

Max gave her a mock frown. "Dani, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Max when we're not in front of the bigwigs?" She had to keep telling the X6's that. Suddenly an image of Alec popped into her mind. The last time she had told Dani the very same thing, Alec had been with them, she thought sadly._ Don't think about Alec now. Just finish the mission and you'll see him again_, she told herself forcefully.

"Sorry, Max," Dani replied sheepishly, noticing Zack. Somehow sensing that Zack was also a transgenic, and that he was her superior, she turned to him and saluted smartly, "Sir!"

The words left his mouth automatically. "At ease, soldier," he said, and then winced as he realised what he had done.

Max raised her eyebrows. "I see that you still have it in you," she teased.

"What?" he snapped irritably.

Max smirked at him but did not say anything further. "You're not here alone, are you? Where's the rest of your team?" Max asked, looking over Dani's shoulder.

The twelve-year-old girl said, "Tom and Sandeman are back in the cabin. We're hiding out there for the moment until Kelpy and Cammy find us a new place to stay."

Max frowned. "What's wrong with the place you've been staying in?"

"Gab told us that the S1W was planning to raid it again, so we had to leave. Shame, the last place was pretty good," Dani said with a wistful expression.

At the mention of Gab's name, Max's eyes lit up. She had been missing her friend. "Gab's around too?"

When Dan shook her head, Max's heart sank. "Gab's undercover in the S1W. He just came by to warn us," Dani explained. "Hey, you want to come see our cabin?" she asked eagerly.

Max grinned and was about to say yes when she remembered her mission. Much as she would like to go with Dani, she could no just abandon her mission. Maybe there was a slight chance that Zack might agree to go with her, she thought, not quite convincing even to herself. Turning to Zack she said, "Let's go meet them."

He gave her an incredulous look. "I don't think so, Max," he said flatly, hardly believing that Max even bothered to ask him.

Scowling, Max insisted, "Come on, Zack. What's the harm in it? At least we could get something to eat." At that thought, her stomach rumbled in agreement.

"And what? Walk right into Manticore's hands?" he asked sarcastically.

"Tom is twelve and Sandeman is like sixty. You think you couldn't hold your own against them if you wanted to?" Max said in exasperation. Zack's attitude towards Manticore was really beginning to grate on her. He was not even trying to give them a chance to prove that things were not as he had known before.

Dani was looking back and forth between them like a spectator in a tennis match; unsure what was happening but not wanting to interrupt. She could see from the look on his face that the male transgenic was not too happy.

"Look, I can't stop you from following me but that doesn't mean I'll go with you," he said, obviously not willing to budge.

Finally fed-up with Zack's behaviour, Max frowned and grabbed his arm. "Why are you being so difficult?" she snapped irritably.

"Forgive me for not wanting to go back to that hellhole," he replied sarcastically as he shook off her hand roughly. She refused to let go. Zack shook harder. Underestimating his strength, he managed to push her off balance.

As Max staggered unsteadily, cursing at her clumsiness, a lithe form blurred towards them.

Zack and Dani turned towards the form in surprise.

"Alec!" Dan exclaimed enthusiastically, running towards him.

Zack scowled and clenched his fists in reflex. "Not you again!" he bit out.

Alec grinned at Dani while trying as hard as he could to refrain from causing Zack some grievous bodily harm. When he had woken up this morning to find them sleeping together so intimately, all he had wanted to do was to run over and bash Zack's head against a tree. But before he could decide what to do, they had woken up and Dani had come into the picture. But when he had seen Zack push Max, his instincts had kicked in and he had rushed towards them before considering the consequences of his actions.

"Nice to know that I've been missed," he said, darting a glance at Max, unsure how she would receive his presence.

When Max straightened up to look at him in surprise, he asked casually, "Hey, how are you doing?"

Remembering the way they had parted, Max shrugged uncomfortably. "Okay, I guess," she said softly. She wanted to tell him that she missed him, but the words would not leave her throat. She let her eyes run over him, her heart clenching as she noted the shadows under his eyes. The last few days must have been just as bad for him as it had been for her. Or worse, seeing how much Alec loved his sleep. The last few days of tracking must have been hell for him.

Disappointed at the lack of response from her, Alec looked away. What did he expect anyway? For her to jump into his arms and tell him how much she missed him?

_Hell, yeah!_ A voice in his head exclaimed.

But it did not look like that was going to happen anytime soon, Alec thought in resignation as he noted the way Max fidgeted. Then a suspicious thought suddenly occurred to him. _Did something happen between Zack and Max last night while he had been sleeping? He would have heard something, wouldn't he? Shit! Was that why Max looked so uncomfortable? _As the questions continued to race in his mind, his expression grew darker.

Then a saner voice broke in. _That's your hormones talking, Alec._ _Max had shown no sign of returning Zack's feelings, had she? And he should trust her enough to know that she wouldn't do something like that when they were an item._ It was not so much Max who he was worried about, it was Zack. He did not trust the guy to not try anything, and Max's too close to Zack to see clearly.

Whatever it was, there was no way he was going to leave Max alone with Zack now, he decided resolutely. He hoped that Lydecker would trust his judgement. This would be the second time he overruled Lydecker's instruction in the last few days. First had been the decision to split up and now, the decision to remain with Max.

Forcing himself to remain calm and not to head right at Zack, he said to Max lightly, "Being alone doesn't suit me very well, I get bored easily. So I think I'll hang around for a while."

Max frowned, wondering what Alec was up to considering that he was the one who had initially suggested that they split up. Much as she liked having him around, his presence would cause problems with Zack. She did not want to be put in the position where she had to choose between them. She knew that Alec was important to her and she had strong feelings for him, but Zack was the brother she had loved since she was childhood.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled him to one side, leaving Zack and Dani to stare at them questioningly. She tried to ignore the tingle in her hand at the contact with his skin.

_Stupid hormones,_ she thought. She released his arm before her hand decided to roam all over his body out of its own volition. "Alec, what's going on?"

He shrugged. "I told you. I got bored. And much as I hate Zack's guts, I would prefer to suffer his presence rather than be bored out of my mind." And then deciding to take a chance at telling her the truth, hoping that it would thaw her a bit, he winked at her and said, "Also because I missed you."

Max blinked, not expecting him to say that outright, but nevertheless was touched at his words. Softening, she admitted softly, unused to their open display of affection. "Yeah, I missed you too. It was hard to keep my mind on the job when I kept thinking about you."

Alec grinned, happy that she felt the same way. "Great! So we're alright now," he said, reaching out to hug her tightly.

Max leaned into him, breathing in his unique scent as she sighed in relief. It had been hard for her that they were fighting about the mission, but now she was glad that they were okay again. With her face buried in Alec's chest, she did not notice that Alec had shot a smug male look at a scowling Zack.

Pulling back, Alec gazed into her eyes mischievously and whispered, "Any chance of us being alone? You know, to catch up?"

Her eyes rounded as his meaning became clear. "Alec! Dani could hear us!" she hissed at him, but could not keep her lips from twitching.

The sound of Zack clearing his throat interrupted whatever Alec had been about to say then. "Max, if you don't mind, I'm heading off now," he said tightly.

As Max turned her attention to Zack, her stomach rumbled. "Wait." Then flicking a glance towards the hopeful look on Dani's face, she asked him beseechingly, "Are you sure you don't want to just stop by at the cabin to grab some grub?"

"No, I'm fine for now," he said.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Nice way of showing how much you care for her, huh, Zack," he drawled sarcastically.

Zack flashed a pair of angry eyes at Alec. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm not stopping her from going anywhere," he retorted.

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I thought you were a CO before? You don't really expect her to abandon her target for something as mundane as food, do you? Or have you forgotten what it's like to be on a mission?"

Max groaned. "Please don't start, you two! It's okay, I'm not hungry," she said, her expression showing she was anything but. "Let's go," she said, taking a step away from the group.

After a few steps, she turned back to see Zack still standing in the same spot. "What are you waiting for? I thought you have somewhere to go?"

Zack stared at her with an unreadable expression. Then he sighed. "Oh, hell! I suppose stopping for a while wouldn't really matter," he said grudgingly. He threw a disgusted look at Alec, annoyed at what he had pointed out.

Alec smirked in satisfaction, knowing that he got under Zack's thick skin.

Max grinned happily. "You won't regret it, I promise."

"Let's go. Sandeman and Tom would be really surprised to see you all," Dani said enthusiastically as she grabbed Max's arms to pull her along.

"Yeah, I'm sure they would," Zack muttered under his breath as he went along very reluctantly.

* * *

Getting out of his car into the chilly night, Logan approached the figure standing at the edge of the waterway. It was still early but the sky was grey and it looked like it might rain, he noticed absently. 

"I hope you have some good news for me, Cale," the figure said without turning around.

Logan paused and cleared his throat. "As a matter of fact, I do."

White turned away from the water to face Logan. Raising an eyebrow, he prompted, "And?"

"One of the houses which we raided gave us reasons to believe that it had been occupied by Sandeman."

White sneered. "You said 'had been'. Meaning that he's gone. Meaning that he's no longer there and you have failed me again. Isn't that right?" he said, advancing towards Logan menacingly.

Logan gulped as he took a step back, holding up his hands as if to ward White off.

White swatted his hands aside. Pressing his face close to Logan's, White snarled, "Remind me again why I'm letting you live after all these blunders you've made?"

Logan tried to hide his fear as he said, "We asked around and we found an eyewitness who saw them when they left."

To Logan's relief, White stepped away from him. "Really? Maybe I'll let you live after all," he said mockingly.

"The eyewitness was driving in the same direction as they were. Then she said that they turned off somewhere near Olympia," Logan said, wondering for the hundredth time why he was working with such a volatile person. But White had been useful in supplying information for Eyes Only in exchange for his help. And they had the same purpose when it came to Manticore. Both wanted Manticore destroyed.

White looked surprised. "They? Who was with him?"

"I was told there were two children and two adults with him when they left a few days ago. Maybe his grandchildren and their parents?" Logan suggested.

White shook his head. "No. It couldn't be," he said thoughtfully.

"How do you know?" Logan asked, curious.

"Trust me on this," he said. "When can you confirm their location?"

Logan hesitated. He had just sent the S1W to infiltrate and gain incriminating evidence against a casino scam syndicate. When the witness called Asha, the team had already left Seattle. "Um…I'm fresh out of resources."

"Find some," White said imperiously.

Shaking his head, Logan said, "I can't. They went out of town for some important business and won't be back until next week."

Annoyed, White snapped, "By then, Sandeman and his friends will be gone."

"That's why you need to get someone out there now," Logan insisted.

White snarled, "Fine then. I'll do it myself. Maybe then I'll finally get hold of the man."

Logan frowned at White's insinuation. "Our deal was for me to locate Sandeman. Not abduct him for you."

"You did a good job locating him, didn't you?" White said sarcastically.

"I did the best I could under the circumstances. Sandeman obviously knew that someone was after him, otherwise he wouldn't be running," Logan said defensively.

Ignoring Logan's words, White said, "Well, as nice as it is for me to stay here and have this pointless conversation, I'm afraid I have to leave."

"You do that," Logan said quietly as he watched White climb into his car.

* * *

Asha shot a disgusted look at the dealer before she stood up and left the table, nodding almost imperceptibly to Jondy, who was standing close by. 

Understanding Asha's unspoken message, Jondy walked casually to the table and slipped into the just vacated seat. She glanced towards her left where Gab was sitting, pointedly ignoring her. He had been ignoring her for the past four days. Ever since her heat cycle. There had been no chance for them to talk as he had not returned home since then, and this has been the closest she had gotten to him so far. His behaviour confirmed Jondy's fear that he had definitely seen what happened that day.

At first, she was delighted that he had actually cared enough to display such a reaction. And then she realised that the incident had probably stripped her of any chance of being with him. She must have really hurt him for him to disappear for so long without a word.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she forced herself to pay attention to the game of roulette in front of her. They were meant to figure out how the casino managed to scam its customers. Another Eyes Only mission, she thought, rolling her eyes.

She placed her chips randomly on the table and waited for the dealer to spin the wheel. When he did, her eyes followed the small ball as it circled the wheel, landing on number 7.

The players groaned. There were no chips on number 7, meaning that the casino won.

Again.

They placed their chips again after the table had been cleared. Jondy kept her focus on the ball and the rotating wheel. This time just as the ball was about to land, her eyes caught the almost imperceptible change in the velocity of the ball, slowing it down abruptly until in landed on a number which had only one chip on the table.

As she turned to share her discovery with Gab, he too turned towards her, obviously having noticed the same thing. Their eyes clashed, and Jondy found herself unable to pull away.

"Gab," she said softly, almost apologetically.

Gab tore his eyes away from her before asking tonelessly, "What?"

"I'm sorry for what happened."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said with a hard edge to his voice, his eyes fixed to the rotating wheel.

"Don't do this, Gab," she pleaded with him, willing him to look at her.

Compressing his lips into a thin line, he stood up suddenly, swiping all his chips into a pile and stuffed them in his pocket. Without another word, he walked away, leaving her gaping at his swift exit.

When she finally managed to pull herself together, she gathered her chips and went after him.

She caught up with him just outside the casino. It was already late and the place was almost deserted.

"Gab, wait!" she called out, running to his side.

Gab swivelled around, his face a bland mask. "Yeah?" he asked in a bored tone.

She hesitated for a moment before steeling herself to speak. "About that day I was in heat, and I just couldn't stop it," she explained.

"By this, I guess you meant the day you and Biggs put on a show for me. Though I don't really appreciate seeing the two of you ravishing each other, I suppose I should say that it's okay since you couldn't stop it," he said, trying to keep the pain out of his voice. He turned away from her and started walking again.

Jondy threw her hands up in exasperation. "Will you listen to yourself?"

"Better than listening to the sounds you were making that day," Gab muttered under his breath as his heart twisted.

Jondy gasped at his words. "I didn't mean for it to happen," she insisted. She reached out a hand and grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to stop.

"Whatever, Jondy. It's not important," Gab said, suddenly feeling very weary. All he wanted to do was to just forget what he had seen and what he had realised about his feelings for Jondy. He really did not want to talk about it. It was hard enough trying to ignore her the last few days.

"It's important enough for you to run away from us," she pointed out.

"I had things to do for S1W. Ask Asha," he said evasively.

Ignoring what he had just said, she continued, "And it's important to me because…because I don't want to be with Biggs. I want to be with you!"

Gab tensed. Then he turned to face her. His voice was tight when he proclaimed, "You've got a funny way of showing it."

"I've practically told you how I felt towards you back in Manticore, remember? And what did you do? You ran away. You didn't even bother to talk to me about it," she yelled in frustration.

Glancing around them, he hissed, "Keep it down!"

He stared at her for a moment before he came to a conclusion. Taking a deep breath, he said in a barely controlled voice, "That day, when you left, I was worried. So I decided to follow you home to make sure you were alright. Then I opened the door. Do you know how I felt when I saw both of you there? Doing what you were doing?"

Jondy's breath caught in her throat as she saw the raw pain in his eyes. "Gab, I…I don't know what to say to make this better. It wasn't meant to be like that. I realised too late that I was in heat," she explained.

Gab laughed mirthlessly. "And you know what? It took _that_ to make me realise how I felt for you."

Placing her hand on his arm, she looked up at him and said almost desperately, "We can still try. It's not too late."

Gab rubbed his face with his hands. "I can't get it out of my head, Jondy. I tried, but I kept seeing you and Biggs…That's why I can't go home. I feel like I want to kill him for what he did. And the worst thing is, I know that it's not his or your fault. It's just the way we were made. But how can I forget what I saw?" he said, his voice almost breaking with the strain of keeping himself from breaking apart in front of her.

He stiffened in surprise as he felt Jondy's arm sliding around him, then he relaxed slightly. Wrapping his arms around her back and laying his cheek against her head, he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. He felt warm for the first time in many days.

"We can try," Jondy whispered into his chest as a tear seeped out from the corner of her eyes.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: (Sobs) No cliffie this time. See what I'm willing to do to myself to keep you happy? (bawls loudly)…Ahem…Now, so what do you think of this? Please drop me a review. I'd love to know what you think of this chapter!


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** SO SORRY for updating so late but I've just came back from holidays yesterday! Anyway, as for the story, not much relationship-y stuff this time, but more action. Enjoy!

Thanks to Sirena for betaing and fixing all my grammatical mistakes!

**Calistra** – (Grins) Glad you liked the weepy ending. Hehe, yeah, White might try something. Thanks for reviewing.

**Alana84** – Thanks for your review. Yeah, everyone kinda started sorting out their relationship issues but something else's going to happen to ad some spice to their lives (winks).

**Darkangelgirl262 **– Hehe! Glad you enjoyed the bits. The whole Max-Zack situation will be resolved by the next chapter. Everyone else will resolve their problems in the next few chapters (I hope!). Thanks for reviewing.

**NoAngell **– Aw, don't worry about Zack. Things may look bad, but it'll start to get better this chapter onwards. Thanks for reviewing.

**Pixie Wildfire** – Thanks for reviewing! Heh! Of course they made up! I don't think I can bear to separate Max and Alec for so long, do you? (grins)

**Ro **– Thanks for your review. Hmm…still not much Max and Alec this chapter, sorry. I need to move the plot along otherwise this will never end. Zack's just being Zack, what can I say? ;p

**Kungfuchick **– (grins) Err…I can't tell you if Alec's going to screw up again just yet, but something else is definitely going to happen to mess things up, not now but in the next new chappies. Thanks for reviewing.

**Eva** – I'm kinda flattered that you found it touching enough for tears (grins). Yeah, those two crazy couples need to sort something out, I thought! Thanks for reviewing!

**LucreziaNoin86 **– Hehe! You might regret giving me permission for a cliffie. I swear, they are addictive. Thanks for reviewing.

**Mel11 **– Thanks for reviewing. You know, about Zack, you might get your wish in a way. Jondy and Gab situation was still a bit sad, I thought. Things were just not going their way.

**Spanishwon2123 **– Yeah, I'm glad about Jondy and Gab too. As for Sandeman, things are going to heat up at that end soon! Thanks for reviewing.

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Hehe! Yeah, Alec has reverted to his snarky, cunning self to deal with Zack and it seemed to be working. Thanks for reviewing.

**Sakura (sakuraakira365)** – Glad you liked Jondy and Gabs personality. (grins) And yeah, who wouldn't like for Alec to be jealous over them. Thanks for reviewing.

**Roxyroo** – Nah, Max missed Alec too much to really get mad at him. I mean, would you? (winks) Anyway, I needed to bring Dani into the picture because something needed to happen in this chapter. You'll see (grins). Thanks for reviewing.

**W1cked angel** – What? Of course I'm sad, I'm hooked on those cliffies, lol! Thanks for reviewing.

**Dory Shotgun** – Thanks for your review. Hehe! Yeah, Logan's definitely getting more and more nervous about White, but doesn't quite know how to get himself out of it.

**Toniboo** – Yup, the relationships seemed to be flowing smoother but something else is about to go wrong (grins). You'll see! Thanks for reviewing.

**Ceel **– (Blushes) Glad you liked the ending between Gab and Jondy. I have plans for Max to meet the real Dani, but it wouldn't happen anytime soon. I can't tell you too much just yet. Logan and Max meeting? I'm sure they will (grins). Thanks for reviewing.

**Lotamoxie **– Max and Alec had made up, yes. But for how long (grins wickedly)? They always happen to stumble upon some other issues. Thanks for reviewing.

**Lakergirl08** – Heh! Sorry for missing the bips, lol! You might get your wish about White, but what will happen when he's confronted with transgenics for the first time. Logan's still a bit misguided, but I like him that way, hehe! Thanks for reviewing.

**GuestTypePerson** – Logan and White is going to come to blows at some point, I guess, hehe! That'll be fun! I can't tell you what I've got planned for Zack but you'll see soon. Thanks for reviewing!

**Sakura (88hainesde)** – Thanks for reviewing! Hope you'll like this chapter.

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Thanks for reviewing! Alec and Zack (sighs) two gorgeous hormone driven guys, hehe! Of course there's going to be some sparks flying (and not the good kind either!)

**Victoria** – Thanks for reviewing! Glad you liked Gab and Jondy. They're not in this chappie, though. But no fear, they'll make an appearance in the next one.

**Freak1985 **– Thanks for reviewing. Blonde? Hmm…don't think so. Hehe, don't worry about reviews, I'm really bad at it myself ;P

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 31 – Realisation**

(by elle6778)

Max had only intended to stay long enough for them to say hello and to grab some food. However, she had underestimated Sandeman and his little family's persuasive skills. And needless to say, Alec's. They had alternated between persuasion and threats to get Max and Zack to remain.

"At least stay until you've had some food," Cammy had said, looking at them beseechingly with her large dark eyes.

And Kelpy had grinned wickedly at them as he said, gesturing to Tom and Dani, "Max, you wouldn't want me to tell these two what you did to Alec's hair a few years ago, do you? I mean, it's bad for your CO reputation after all." At which Max had rolled her eyes dismissively.

But the residents of the cabin, and Alec, had continued to hassle them about it.

So finally they ended up staying the first night.

Although he would not speak to Alec unless he was forced to, Zack had been relatively civil to everyone else, particularly after the time he had spent with Sandeman. For some reason, Zack had taken to the old man and had been unable to refuse when Sandeman had wanted company for a walk that night. He had returned from the walk looking more subdued than she had ever seen him before. She wondered what the old man had told him to elicit that sort of reaction.

When she had woken up the next morning, she had fully expected Zack to have left. To her surprise, it had not happened. Instead, she found Zack sitting at the table with Dani and Tom, enjoying the breakfast Cammy had prepared.

"Morning, Max," Cammy greeted cheerfully as she pushed the coffeepot and a cup at Max.

Max grunted in reply. She needed her cup of coffee after the first good night's sleep she had had in days before she could even think of engaging in a conversation with anyone. Gratefully, she pulled the coffee over and poured herself a cup.

Alec strolled in after her, looking annoyingly fresh and upbeat. "Good morning," he greeted with a grin. Then noticing the grumpy expression on Max's face, he teased, "Hey, Max, I wasn't that bad last night, was I? I thought I was pretty good considering how tired I was."

"Alec!" Max exclaimed as she shot an embarrassed look at the rest of the people at the table. Everyone was looking down at their plates attentively except Tom, who sniggered. And Zack, who looked as if his face was chipped from ice. Max frowned at Alec as she gestured to Dan and Tom, bypassing Zack, "There're kids here, you know."

"I'm not a kid," Tom muttered under his breath.

Max straightened into her CO mode. "Would you care to repeat that, soldier?" she asked, teeth bared.

Tom raised his eyes to her, looking chastised, "Sorry, ma'am."

"It's Max!" she reminded in exasperation. She really did not need this first thing in the morning. Mornings were bad enough without her CO responsibilities.

"Yes, Max," Tom repeated dutifully as Dani grinned beside him. His chin jutted out as he glared at her.

"Oh, come on, Max. You've got to loosen up a bit," Alec cajoled. Then putting his head closer to her ear, he grinned and said, "You're beginning to sound like that uptight Zack over there."

Max stiffened the same time that Zack did.

"I'm not uptight," she bit out just as Zack stood up and left the table wordlessly. Giving Alec an accusing glare, she said, "I can't believe what an ass you can be sometimes. Now look what you've gone and done."

Feigning ignorance, Alec opened his eyes wide and said, "What?" Inwardly, he grinned, glad that Zack had left the table. He had no idea why Zack was hanging around instead of rushing off like everyone had thought he would. But Alec was not complaining if it meant that he got to stay at a nice comfortable cabin instead of running around tracking Zack.

Being there surrounded by everyone also meant that Zack would not dare to make a move on Max. Alec allowed himself a smug grin at that thought.

Grumbling about males in general, Max went back to her breakfast. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sandeman enter the kitchen. Instantly, the question of his conversation with Zack popped up in her mind. Her eyes followed him as he walked across the room to the table.

After greeting the transgenics with a smile, Sandeman sat down in front of Max.

"I trust that you had a good night's sleep?" Sandeman asked them as he sipped his coffee.

Max nodded and laid her fork down. Eyeing him questioningly, she went straight to the point, "So what did you tell Zack last night? He's seemed different ever since he went out with you."

The older man raised an eyebrow, and then smiled enigmatically. "You'll find out when the time comes, I'm sure."

She frowned as she mulled over his words. "Why can't you tell me now?"

"You don't need to know yet. Trust me on this," he said simply as he pulled an empty cup towards himself and gestured to Tom for the coffeepot.

Intrigued, Alec asked, "What about me? Could you tell me?" He wondered what it could be that the old man had thought necessary to tell Zack but not Max.

Sandeman laughed as he paused in pouring his coffee. "If I tell you, it would be equivalent to telling Max. I have a good cause to believe that she's quite capable of persuading you to tell her anything I impart to you."

Max groaned in embarrassment as Cammy tried to hide her grin.

Alec had the grace to look sheepish. But undeterred, he pressed on, "Who else knows about…whatever this is?" He gestured in the air.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Sandeman said with a smile. And then he continued, "Lydecker knows. Feel free to ask him if you like, but I wouldn't recommend it. You might get yourself thrown in punishment," he said with twinkling eyes.

At that, Alec decided to drop it, much to Max's relief. Although she was curious as to what Sandeman had told Zack, she did not want to get Alec or herself into any trouble. Fleetingly, she wondered if Zack would tell her if she pestered him enough.

_Where did Zack go, anyway?_

* * *

His footsteps hardly made a sound as he walked across the clearing in front of the cabin towards the woods. As he walked, he tried to calm the feeling of jealousy in himself. It was obvious that there was something going on between Alec and Max. Even the blind could see it.

Zack knew what that meant. She would never be interested in him as long as Alec was around. Hell, Max had basically told him so herself. Although Zack knew that it was pointless to dwell on it, he just could not help himself. It was not as if he had not tried to talk himself out of it before. She was effectively his sister, and the whole concept of her being with him was just plain wrong.

What Sandeman had told him last night made things worse. He had remembered Sandeman from those days when they were kids in Manticore. Sandeman had been the only one who had shown them any measure of kindness at all. And just for that, Zack had been more willing to listen to him than to anyone else in Manticore.

He sighed as he stopped. Leaning against a tree, he told himself to forget the idea about Max. _It was easier said than done_, he thought, rolling his eyes. Things would be harder now that Alec knew about his feelings. There was no doubt that the jackass would taunt him about it and rub his face in it every opportunity he got.

_Alec was just feeling possessive and jealous_, a small voice within told him. Alec just wanted to assert his status as Max's mate. _You would do the same too,_ the small voice continued.

Grudgingly, Zack acknowledged the voice. It did not make him feel any better, but he knew that he had to accept that Alec and Max were together and he should not come between them. Otherwise, he would probably end up alienating Max.

Maybe it was time to call a truce. Why make things even harder for himself? At least with the truce, Alec might decide to hold his tongue.

He shook his head, disgusted with himself. How could he let the words of an old man and the taunts of another X5 sway his mind? But somehow, deep inside, he knew that he was about to do the right thing. He closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself to face them all.

Pushing himself off the tree, he started to step towards the cabin.

A soft rustle in the distance made him halt. It sounded like footsteps on dry leaves. That itself would not alarm him, but it was the fact that the footsteps sounded deliberate and cautious, making him suspect that the owner of the footsteps was trying to hide their presence. This was not good news for them.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up as his ears picked up the sound of another pair of footsteps joining the first one.

Then another.

Zack cursed under his breath as his eyes darted towards the direction of the sound. Forcing his genetically enhanced eyes to focus, he zoomed in on the spot where he thought the noise came from.

What he saw made him pale.

The distance between him and the focus of his attention was too large even for his transgenic eyesight to get a clear picture, but he could make out a team of soldiers clad in black, moving swiftly closer to the cabin.

Moving too swiftly for them to be ordinary humans. His heart thumped as he realised what that implied. _Get a grip, soldier,_ he told himself sharply as his mind whirred.

He needed to get back to the rest of them ahead of those soldiers. His eyes gauged the relative distances.

_Who would make it to the cabin first?_

* * *

Hunched over the table, Alec and Tom spoke to each other under their breath excitedly, until the sound of someone clearing their throat caught Alec's attention.

Alec looked up to see Max frowning at him.

"What do you think you're doing with that?" she asked, pointing to the black rectangular panel on the coffee table between Alec and Tom.

_Uh, oh, she wouldn't like it if she found out what we have been up to,_ he thought. Giving her an innocent look as he looked back and forth between her and the object of attention, he said, "What? Zack's tracer?"

Max stared at him expectantly as she tapped her foot. She could not believe it that Alec actually sat there _betting _with Tom on Zack's next direction of movement.

Unperturbed by her silence, he continued blithely, "I'm just showing Tom how it works. You know, educating the X6s and all."

"I'm sure Tom knows what that is, Alec," she said dryly.

Alec exchanged a look with Tom, who blinked blankly in return. And then as Tom finally realised what Alec meant, he said quickly, "Yeah, Max. Alec was just showing me how it works. Never seen one like that before."

Max raised her eyebrows disbelievingly.

"I mean, I've never seen it this close before. Interesting how fast it can trace, huh?" Tom babbled on.

"Real time movement," Alec added in mock seriousness. "Look," he said, pointing to the blip on the display.

And then he frowned. "What's Zack up to?" he muttered as his eyes followed the rapid movement of the blip, his playful demeanour wiped off his face.

Moving to his side, Max asked with concern, "What? Zack?"

Alec nodded. "He seems to be blurring in an evasive pattern, heading towards us. That's odd."

As he suddenly realised what was happening, Tom jumped up. "It's them again. The S1W. They've found us again!" he said with a slightly frantic edge to his voice.

Alec only took a second to process the information before he ran to the kitchen, shouting for Sandeman, Cammy, Kelpy and Dani. Being the most senior transgenic present as far as experience was concerned, he automatically took charge.

"Cammy, Tom and Dani, get Sandeman out of here in one piece. Kelpy, you're coming with me and Max. We need to distract them before they spot Sandeman," he barked out as he blurred to the window and flattened himself next to it.

Using a series of hand movements, he signalled Kelpy to the door and Max to the other window. Max nodded and followed his lead, her hands pressed to the wall as she tried to peer out of the window unobtrusively. Kelpy stood next to the door and blended himself to match the wooden planks. No one would see him unless they looked very carefully for the outline of his body.

They tensed as they picked up the sound of approaching footsteps so soft that if they were not transgenics, they would never have heard it.

The door burst open as four black clad soldiers poured in.

Just as the soldier at the front spotted him, Alec snapped out a command to Kelpy.

Instantly, Kelpy lowered himself and swung his legs around in a roundhouse foot sweep. The snapping action of his kick yanked the last soldier's feet from under him, toppling the unsuspecting soldier over onto his team-mate in front.

Max and Alec jumped out of their positions to take on the other two soldiers, knocking their weapons out of their hands as they turned around in surprise. The weapons clattered across the floor, out of the reach of the soldiers. Then as they regained their composure, they began to circle Max and Alec.

Alec lashed out first with a hook punch to the head, but the soldier successfully dodged it and returned a swift kick to Alec's knees. Jumping to the side just in time to miss the large boot connecting with his shins, Alec frowned, raising his guards further. His opponent was much faster than he expected. Much too fast for an ordinary human.

The soldier struck again, this time hitting Alec on the arm, but he did not even wince though he could feel the superhuman strength behind the punch. Leaning into his opponent, Alec returned the punch with one of his own, their close proximity meaning that it found its target easily, knocking the wind out of the soldier.

It took the soldier little time to recover from the blow. In seconds, he was up again, and facing Alec. They lunged, hitting each other so swiftly that the individual moves could not be discerned by ordinary human eyes.

Max blurred to her opponent, jamming an elbow into his ribs before he could react. Staggering slightly, he straightened and came back at her with a jump kick. Max stepped out of its path just a fraction of a second before she was hit. Swivelling around to face him, she realised that the soldier was much quicker and stronger than she had originally thought. Steeling her resolve to pound him senseless, she charged again.

The sound of a gunshot distracted the four of them momentarily. Kelpy had shot one of the other soldiers with her own gun. Max cursed as she saw the look on his face. He was not used to this, she noted belatedly. Kelpy was blending rather erratically into his surrounding, which had the effect of confusing his opponents.

They fought on for a few more minutes before finally, Max, Alec and Kelpy managed to take the other three down. Just as the last soldier slumped to the floor, they heard shouts from the back of the cabin. Not wasting a second, they all blurred out of the back door instantly.

Alec skidded to a halt when he saw what greeted them out there.

Cammy and Dani was down on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. Max's eyes frantically searched them for any signs of life, but she could not tell from that distance. They were not moving at all.

There were four soldiers down, but another three was left standing. Tom had another one at gunpoint, but what made Alec and Max go cold was the last one, the one Zack was shouting at.

"Let him go!" Zack shouted, his eyes hard. "Or I'll slaughter this piece of junk," he threatened as he tightened the chokehold on the enemy soldier he held in his arm.

The pale-skinned soldier with a hard face was sneering at them with a maniacal gleam in his eyes, quite unperturbed by the scene in front of him or the fate of his comrades.

And he had the tip of a sharp hunting knife to the throat of an unconscious Sandeman.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: And the cliffies are back! Hehe! Sorry this chappie came so late, I was on holidays. So what do you think of this chapter? Please review and let me know (winks).


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** I know, I know…I'm late again. I have been hunting for a job, so I had to go for 5 interviews last week… . Hope you enjoy it. More action but the next chapter we'll be back to relationships…

Thanks to Sirena for beta-ing!

**Mel11 **– Hope you can forgive me again for the long wait (grovels). My life's been a mess the last one week. Thanks for reviewing.

**Roxyroo** – Hehe, yeah, but I'm late again, and I hope that this chapter is enough to make up for it. Thanks for reviewing.

**Calistra **– Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, Zack have to work with the others, he have not much choice.

**L80bug** – Thanks sweetie. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Darkangelgirl262** – Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, things are not going so well for Cammy and Dani, so for some of the others either. You'll see. I'll have a look at your fic as soon as I can.

**Toniboo** – Hmm…not sure I can say that Max and Alec is going to be okay, hehe! You'll see! Thanks for your review.

**Lotamoxie **– Alec's a smart cookie, so he had to be able to tell that Zack was trying to evade something (grins). Yeah, it's about time the familiars and the transgenics meet. More adventures to be had! Thanks for reviewing.

**Eva** – Sandeman die? Hmmm…what an idea! Lol! I can't tell you now, but you'll see in future chapters. Thanks for reviewing.

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you like the way Zack sort of got out of his predicament with Alec and Max here. I'll update the MZ in a few days time. I've been having lots of interviews for job, and is a bit busy this couple of weeks. But after that, I'll be updating much more often!

**Supernatural **– Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Yeah, it's good that Zack's letting go of Max, otherwise it's going to remain awkward between the three of them. Glad you liked the action. More of it this chapter but it'll be different in the next one (winks). Thanks for reviewing.

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for reviewing! You'll see who those guys are soon (grins)

**Angel Of Darkness231** – Thanks for reviewing! What? What did I do this time? Anyway, here's the update. I hope you won't decide to plot murder against me when you read through it (backs away from violent reader…)

**Lakergirl08 **– Thanks for reviewing. Hehe! I just thought that the cliffie was appropriate! You'll see soon if you've guessed right (winks)

**Spanishwon2123 **– Thanks for reviewing. Hope you've got your homework all sorted out, lol!

**Victoria **– Thanks for reviewing. (Blushes) I'm glad you think so and I hope that you'll like the rest of the story!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 32 – White**

(by elle6778)

"_Let him go!" Zack shouted, his eyes hard. "Or I'll slaughter this piece of junk," he threatened as he tightened the chokehold on the enemy soldier he held in his arms. The soldier wheezed painfully as he tried to struggle out of Zack's grip._

_The pale-skinned soldier with a hard face was sneering at them with a maniacal gleam in his eyes, quite unperturbed by the scene in front of him or the fate of his comrades._

_And he was holding the tip of a sharp hunting knife to the throat of an unconscious Sandeman._

With no sign of fear, the soldier laughed at Zack's threat and said mockingly, "Or what?"

Zack looked calm when he replied, "I suppose it's no great loss to me if he fell dead right now." He tightened his grip on the chokehold

The soldier in his arms renewed his struggles as he rasped for Zack to stop.

Alec held up a hand, signalling for Zack to halt when he looked as if he wanted to snap the soldier's neck. "Who are you?" Alec asked Zack's hostage.

"Someone better than you bunch of mutated, inhuman filth," the soldier who was holding Sandeman spat out before his comrade could reply. The way he looked at them told them that he really believed what he was saying. With pure utter disgust.

Max rolled her eyes. "Gee, there's no need for name calling. You're not so normal yourself, considering the way you fight, so I gather that you're not the S1W. So who…or shall I say, _what _are you?" she asked, voicing the questions which was on everyone's mind.

The soldier sneered. "The S1W are useless fools. We are your betters. Your superiors."

Max stared at him disbelievingly. _Is this guy for real?_ "Right. Whatever you need to tell yourself. And just in case you haven't noticed, mister, you're outnumbered four to one here," she pointed out lightly.

"And so? You wouldn't dare to come near me with Sandeman in my arms," the soldier retorted confidently.

Alec gave him a condescending look. "Gee…Hiding behind an old man. And you call yourself our betters?"

Suddenly Sandeman stirred, drawing everyone's attention. The pale soldier tightened his grip, eliciting a groan from the old man.

"Sandeman!" Kelpy yelled out, making a move to step towards the old man.

Taking a step back and pulling Sandeman along with him, the soldier clucked and said in an admonishing tone, "Uh-uh…Not another step."

Kelpy stilled and the rest held their breath as Sandeman's eyes flickered open. As he focussed on his captor's face, the old man's eyes widened. "Ames," he breathed out, his eyes revealing a mix of surprise and apprehension.

The transgenics frowned in confusion. How did Sandeman know the guy? Was he another one of Manticore's project that had gone wrong?

"Ames?" Max parroted as her brow creased. Gesturing to the soldier Max asked Sandeman, "You know him?"

His eyes still fixed to the grim looking soldier, the old man said with sadness in his eyes, "Yes. Ames Sandeman. My son."

As the transgenics stared at the pair in shock, the soldier exploded in rage. Shaking Sandeman, he shouted, "I'm not your son, you traitor! I'm Ames White! White! Not Sandeman! I'm no son of the one who betrayed the Conclave! Is that clear?"

Max frowned. "Son? What the hell is going on here? If you're really his son, then what the hell are you doing to your own father?" she demanded of the irate soldier. Her eyes bore into his, demanding answers.

White's face was pale, his lips compressed thinly as he appeared to struggle with his temper. He must have realised that he had said too much, because he looked as if he would not say another word anytime soon.

Sandeman's soft voice filled the silence. "Listen to me, Ames, what the Conclave is doing is not right. Can't you see that?" he pleaded.

White looked at Sandeman with disgust, but he did not say anything.

A sudden movement behind the transgenics caught their attention.

As Max turned around, she found herself knocked over by a strong shoulder. Swearing out loud as she hit the ground, she realised that one of the soldiers must have regained consciousness. Bouncing up, she saw a large female soldier rushing towards Zack with a gun in her hand.

"Zack!" Max shouted out a warning as she rushed towards him.

Dragging a staggering Sandeman, White shouted out an order to the female soldier, "Thula! Take them down."

Giving White a brief nod, Thula aimed her gun at Zack, apparently not caring if she hit her own men. Her finger pressed against the trigger.

In trying to dodge the oncoming bullet, Zack loosened his grip on his captive. As soon as the soldier was released, he wasted no time in leaving Zack, speeding towards Alec.

Alec had concluded from the way White had been moving that he had been trying to get a reluctant Sandeman to go with him. Trying to stop them, Alec blurred towards them. However, before Alec could reach the pair, White delivered a hook punch to the back of Sandeman's head, effectively knocking the old man out cold.

Gritting his teeth, Alec tried to get to Sandeman but found his path blocked by a soldier. He recognised the soldier as the one who had been held by Zack not long ago.

"Move away, buster, or you'll be sorry," Alec warned as he clenched his hands into fists. He had had enough of being thwarted today.

Unperturbed, the soldier sneered. "Filthy transgenics," he spat out.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Can't you come up with something more original? All that lack of vocabulary is beginning to make you sound even more stupid than you look. Okay, let me spell it out slowly. I said move… but you're still here, so I'm afraid you won't like what I'm about to do next. And don't say I didn't warn you," he said before blurring straight at the soldier.

The soldier held up his gun, a triumphant grin appearing on his face when Alec came directly into the path of fire. Just before the soldier squeezed the trigger, Alec feigned to the side and leaped sideways, his feet skimming high against the trunk of a large tree.

The sound of gunshot rang out, but by then Alec was no longer in front of the soldier. He was to one side, kicking off against the trunk to propel himself towards the back of the soldier. The soldier barely had time to turn before the momentum of the kick carried Alec swinging directly at his opponent's head. There was a loud crack when Alec's foot impacted with the soldier's head, instantly breaking his neck.

Turning his head side to side, Alec cracked his neck as he grinned in satisfaction, surveying his work. That satisfaction did not last long, however. Looking around him, he saw Zack fully engaged in a fight with Thula and Max fighting yet another soldier who had regained consciousness. He noticed with relief that the two of them seemed to be doing well against their opponents.

He continued to scan the area and then suddenly stilled as a chill ran up his spine.

_Where were Sandeman and White? Oh, shit, this is not good,_ he thought, a feeling of dread washing over him.

At that instant, having taken care of her opponent, Max ran towards him. Zack was about to do the same, and then he paused, glancing around. He had obviously realised that Sandeman was gone. He gave Alec a questioning look.

"He's gone," Alec said numbly. He looked pained, disappointed in himself for his failure to ensure that Sandeman remained safe. He had issued the orders, and he should have made sure that he had remained with Sandeman. Sending Cammy, Tom and Dani with Sandeman had been a stupid idea because they had much less experience dealing with these sorts of things.

This was his first major failure in a mission he commanded.

Max opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She had never seen Alec like this before in all the years they had known each other. Swallowing hard, she said reassuringly, touching his arm, "Alec, we'll find him."

He did not acknowledge her action. Instead, he clenched his fists and took his anger and self-recrimination out on the tree next to him, punching the trunk repeatedly. Blood began to trickle down his hands but the pain did not register. The pain within was far too great.

Concerned, Max tried to grab his hand. "Stop it, Alec!" she yelled but he pushed her away roughly.

As Max staggered back, watching Alec in shock, Zack ran towards them.

Noticing his nemesis' presence, Alec snapped at Zack, "What are you doing here? I thought you had somewhere else to go?" Zack was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now.

"Alec…" Max started.

Interrupting her, Zack said harshly to Alec, "Look, shit happens in missions. You don't need to take it out on us. And you've got to know that it's not your fault."

Max gaped. She could hardly believe what she had heard from Zack.

Apparently, neither could Alec. He stared at Zack, unsure what to say.

Noticing their reaction, Zack said uncomfortably, "Look, I'm not saying that because I suddenly feel the urge to get friendly with you. It's just what I've learnt being a CO myself." Zack knew that now that Sandeman had been captured, what the old man had told him last night was becoming more urgent. Now was definitely not the time for him and Alec to be at each others throats. Or for Alec to have doubts about his abilities.

Slowly, Alec said, "Right." And then, uncharacteristically at a loss for words, he threaded his hand through his hair in a show of discomfort, looking away.

Max broke the silence. "Come on, Alec. We need to find the rest to see if they're alright. And we need to get out of here before the rest of White's goons wake up."

Straightening, Alec said listlessly, "Alright, let's go get them." His eyes travelled to Cammy and Dani. It was his fault that they were lying there hurt and bleeding. Now, whatever he did, he had to make sure that he would get them out of here safely. His eyes hardened as he stiffened his resolve.

Max looked at him, worried that he was showing no signs of picking himself out of his funk. Instead, Alec seemed to be withdrawing more and more into himself. She exchanged a glance with Zack, who just shrugged and told them that he would go around the cabin to look for Kelpy and Tom.

Alec and Max went to Cammy and Dani, methodically inspecting the two injured transgenics. After a few minutes, they managed to wake Dani.

"Max?" the young girl rasped painfully. Her neck bore signs of fingerprints, Max noted with fury. White and his soldiers obviously did not discriminate between adults and children.

"Shh…Don't talk. Can you get up?"

Dani nodded as she pushed herself up with Max's help.

"Thanks," Dani said gratefully. When her eyes met Alec's, she froze, taken aback by the blankness in his eyes. "Alec?" she queried tentatively.

Beside her, Cammy stirred, taking Dani's attention away from Alec.

"Hey, girl," Max greeted softly.

Cammy snapped her eyes open and jack-knifed into a sitting position. "Max! Alec! Where's Sandeman?" she gasped, looking around frantically.

Flatly, Alec said, "You can stop looking. He's not here. They've got him," His face was an emotionless mask.

Cammy stilled as her eyes rounded in distress. "No…" she whispered weakly. Caught up in her own anguish, she did not notice the stiff manner with which Alec held himself.

Sliding her hand around Cammy, Dani said reassuringly, "Cammy, we're going to get him back."

"Sandeman's in danger and we failed our mission. Lydecker relied on us to protect Sandeman and look what we've done!" Cammy wailed as her eyes welled up. She buried her face in her hands, "How could we have done this?"

Cammy's words were like knifes stabbing into Alec's heart. What she had just said was exactly what he felt, but he had enough to deal with without having her break down like that. His face setting into a hard mask, Alec rapped out, "Snap out of it, soldier. You've got to pull yourself together. Falling apart now is not going to help."

All heads turned to him in shock. None of them had ever heard Alec addressing anyone that way before.

Alec ignored their shocked expressions and continued to stare at Cammy. Pressing on, he said in a stern voice, "Is that clear?"

Cammy nodded. "Yes, sir," she said in a small voice as she averted her eyes.

Max's lips compressed into a tight line as she glared at Alec. Pulling him away from Dani and Cammy, she hissed, "What the hell was that all about?"

"Don't know what you're talking about Max," Alec replied levelly.

"You don't have to talk to Cammy like that," she said, trying to read his eyes. But all she encountered was a blank, expressionless stare.

Giving her an uncompromising look, Alec said, his voice hard, "She's a soldier, Max. Breaking down and crying is not going to help anything. And if she carries on like that, she would upset Dani as well. I just said what I did to snap her out of it."

Max gave him a reproachful look, "That was way too harsh, Alec."

"It worked, didn't it?" he threw back, getting angry that Max was challenging his decision. But he tried to clamp down his anger, knowing that all of them were just out of sorts because Sandeman had been kidnapped in their watch.

She was about to tell him that his tone was not necessary when Zack came running back with Tom in tow.

"We can't find Kelpy," Tom said breathlessly as he skidded to a stop in front of Alec.

"Kelpy's missing?" Cammy asked, looking as if she was about to break apart. At Alec's stern look, she choked back her sobs and straightened herself.

Seeing the exchange between him and Cammy, Max shot Alec a furious glare.

"Maybe White's got him," Zack suggested. As he caught the stony expression on Alec's face, Zack stilled. He recognised that look. It was a look he himself had sported on occasions when his authority was challenged. Then he saw the way Max was looking at Alec. Sighing, Zack decided that he would let them deal with it themselves and turned back to Dani and Cammy.

"What for? I thought the S1W only wanted Sandeman. What do they need Kelpy for?" Dani asked, confused.

"They're not the S1W, Dani. They're some other thing, much too strong to be ordinaries," Max explained. "I think maybe they decided to take Kelpy as well. They have seen him blending."

"For research purposes," Cammy uttered numbly.

"Enough of this. We need to get out of here. The question is how," Alec said, changing the subject. There was no use dwelling on all those stuff now. Their immediate priority was to get out of there, he thought, trying not to think of the word _research_ in relation with Kelpy.

"I know how! Lydecker's coming," Tom said, brightening suddenly as he recalled the phone call he had made half an hour ago.

Zack stiffened. "Why's that?" he asked tightly.

"Sandeman ordered me to call Lydecker when we ran out the back of the cabin," Tom explained.

"I hope that's them," Alec said as the rumble of vehicles reached them.

Alec had mixed feelings about Manticore's presence. On one hand, having them there meant that they were safe. On the other hand, as he was the highest-ranking officer there, Alec would have to explain and take responsibility for what had just happened. Although protecting Sandeman was not his primary mission, Alec knew that that did not matter. The way he saw it, he knew that what mattered was that he had been present and therefore held the responsibility for the situation they were in. In part, anyway.

Max glanced at Zack worriedly, knowing that what she was about to say would probably be completely futile, but she still had to try. "Zack, please come back with us," she urged. She knew that if Zack continued to refuse to go back with them, she and Alec would have to remain with him. However, she really wanted to be involved in the search for Sandeman and Kelpy.

The word _no_ was at the tip of Zack's tongue when Sandeman's words last night came back to haunt him. He knew that he could not refuse what Sandeman had asked him, and the only way he could carry out Sandeman's request was to go back to Manticore.

He had no choice.

Sighing heavily, Zack said with reluctance, "Alright."

Alec's head snapped towards Zack, surprised that he had given in so easily. Alec looked at Max to find her giving Zack an equally shocked look. Obviously she had not expected Zack to agree to go with them. He turned back to Zack to find the other transgenic staring back at him with an unreadable expression. Alec wanted to ask him what was really going on, but changed his mind. There would be time for that later.

Shrugging, Alec said, "Well, at least that's one less thing for us to worry about."

Right then, three SUVs pulled up into the clearing, their tyres crunching against the gravel noisily.

Lydecker and several members of the Manticore TAC team poured out.

As the TAC team fanned out, Lydecker stepped towards the transgenic. Studying them with piercing eyes, he barked, "Where's Sandeman?"

Alec held Cammy back when she tried to go to Lydecker and stepped forward himself. "Sir, he had been captured by the enemy," he said.

"494, I was not aware that you or 452 have been deployed on this mission," Lydecker said. And then his eyes landed on Zack, who stared back at him insolently. Turning back to Alec, Lydecker said, "But I can see that 599 is here as well. Am I correct in saying that you and 452 have carried out that mission successfully?"

"Yes, sir. 599 had agreed to return to Manticore with us," Alec replied.

"Good work, both of you. And what happened since then? Was it just a coincidence that all of you ended up here with Sandeman just as he was attacked?" Lydecker asked rather sceptically.

"We've been here since last night, sir," Alec admitted.

Lydecker raised an eyebrow but decided not to comment. Instead, he said, "Seeing that you are the highest-ranking officer around, I suppose you took command earlier?"

"Yes, sir," Alec answered levelly, his blank expression not showing his apprehension. He knew what was coming, and he dreaded it.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: A rather depressing ending, I'm afraid. Leave me a review and tell me what you think! You can even yell at me for being late again (grins).


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** Hey, what's happening to all the reviews? The numbers of hits had gone up but reviews had gone down. (Wails mournfully) What did I do? The story can't be THAT bad right? Anyway…enough of my mumblings…a longer chapter this time, so enjoy!

**Kungfuchick** – Oops! Did I not make it clear? Sorry! No…they didn't have sex, they just…erm…fooled around! It will happen eventually but not just yet, you'll understand at the end of this chapter (grins). Thanks for reviewing!

**Roxyroo **– Thanks for your review. I think Alec is going to have more to worry about than punishment at the moment (sighs). You'll see soon.

**Toniboo** – Thanks for reviewing. I know, the story is going into an angsty mode. Uh, yeah…there's trouble ahead for Max and Alec, unfortunately… (quickly hides from Toniboo)

**Angelofdarkness78 **– White vs Max in denial? LOL! Loved your comparison. Zack had been talked into returning to Manticore not by Max, but by Sandeman! Hehe! Interview went well. I'll start a new job in March, yay! Oh, don't forget to update your Jack/Eve story! I loved it! Thanks for reviewing!

**Amelya** – Glad you liked the chapter. Hope you enjoy this one as well. Thanks for reviewing!

**Darkangelgirl262** – Thanks for reviewing! Well, yeah, it's not his fault really, but you'll see what's going on in Alec's mind soon, and Max's too. I can't tell you just yet what Sandeman told Zack, but you'll get the idea after this chapter (winks). And guess what? Gab/Jondy/Biggs coming up too! Enjoy!

**Calistra** – Heh, Alec had no choice…he had to deal with things somehow. As for being hard on Alec, when have I ever done that? LOL! Thanks for reviewing!

**Eva **– No, don't cry! But I've got to tell you that this story is going into an angsty mode for a couple of chapters…so be prepared! These people have issues to sort out! Thanks for reviewing!

**Pixie Wildfire** – Alec catching a break? Hehe! He and Max will always have some form of drama or other in their lives (grins). I'll make sure of it! (rubs hands together). Thanks for reviewing!

**Sakura (88hainesde)** – Thanks for reviewing. Jondy's reappearing in this chapter, you'll be glad to hear! More drama and angst coming up!

**Lakergirl08 **– Okay, okay…I'm typing as fast as I could, but what could I say? It's never fast enough, lol! Anyway, you guys will find out more about Manticore in this chapter, which would set the background to the Coming, familiars etc…Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84** – Thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked the action scenes – it was quite difficult to write, so I'm happy someone likes it (hugs)! Alec's just not used to failure, and it's really bugging him (sighs). But Zack could see it from an outsider's perspective, hence able to make sense of it.

**Nina430** – Alec's troubles are just starting, I think! And yes, it's about time Zack and Alec stopped fighting, lol! It's getting a bit tedious. As for the ending being depressing…I think the trend is going to continue in this one (winks). Thanks for reviewing.

**Spanishwon2123** – Hehe! You'll find out hopefully in the next chapter what Sandeman told Zack, but you should be able to guess the gist of it from this chapter (grins). Thanks for reviewing.

**W1cked angel** – Thanks for reviewing! Jensen could give anyone the shivers, he's so hot, hehe! Yeah, I'm watching Supernatural…a delayed version since it's not out on tv in the UK!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 33 – Manticore**

(by elle6778)

Lydecker sat silently in the SUV with Max, Alec and Dani as one of his soldiers drove them back to Manticore. A small frown graced his face as he mulled over the situation they were in.

Sandeman's abduction was a blow to them. Lydecker did not realise how much he had been depending on Sandeman, who had been pulling the strings from behind the scenes for so many years now. But at least Sandeman had finally told him why he had pushed for a change in Manticore in the recent years.

Manticore had been founded by Sandeman and two of his friends. The transgenics had begun as an experiment of sorts; to create a more resistant, stronger and more intelligent human being. At least, that had been what it had appeared to be outwardly. Sandeman had his own agenda, but he had not confided in his co-founders for the fear of ridicule.

The first few batches had not been acceptable in terms of social integration, but Sandeman had persevered and finally created those who could fit in with the general human race.

These were the X3s and the X4s. Unfortunately, the genetic instability in them had meant that most of them did not survive past childhood. Those who had survived tended to have extreme traits such as overgrowth and exceptionally high level of animal DNA which made them display much more of their non-human traits. Only a handful of X4s had been considered acceptable in public.

Then Sandeman had continued his research to the next level, mixing up the genetic cocktail which had created the X5s. Much to Manticore's elation, the X5s had exhibited none of their feline traits as far as physical appearances were concerned, but were as strong and agile as their feline counterpart. Sandeman had finally found what he had been looking for. In the X5s' early growing years, Sandeman had been personally involved in their education and training, ignoring his co-founders' disapproval.

But by this time, the covert government agency which had supported Manticore had had enough of Sandeman's approach and decided to put their foot down by forming an independent committee of directors. Sandeman's power had been ripped from him overnight as his so-called friends switched sides.

Manticore had then become harder, more of a military establishment than a research facility. The earlier series had been put under training for manual work and technical skills, and the younger ones who could pass as ordinary humans had been allocated as soldiers. The committee had simply locked up those transgenics who they had not been able to control or deemed useless. They had called these transgenics anomalies, and had treated them like animals.

Sandeman had watched the exploitation of his project with a heavy heart, completely helpless to do anything. So he had done the only thing he could do at that time; he had left Manticore, but not before he had found an ally.

Renfro.

The woman had tried to continue Sandeman's work under the cover of her position as an assistant director in the committee. She had worn her tough façade like a weapon, convincing the committee of her dedication to their cause; to create the perfect soldier, the human weapon. The transgenics had been trained as fighters. Unbeknownst to the committee, they had aided Sandeman in his cause, just in a much harsher method.

As a reward for her diligence in the project, Renfro had been promoted as a director.

Lydecker had been brought in when he had been at a very low point of his life. He had been in and out of alcohol rehabilitation after the death of his wife when he had been offered a position to train the transgenics. When he had accepted the offer, he had not known what to expect. But never in a million years had he thought that he would be training genetically enhanced soldiers.

Manticore had given Lydecker a purpose in life when he had none. He had approached his new role with enthusiasm, teaching the children everything he knew about military skills. In the process, he had developed an almost possessive feeling towards them, calling them his _kids_. Interference from what he considered outsiders had been not tolerated.

Renfro had recognised this and had informed Sandeman of his performance. After further observations and careful deliberations, they had decided that Lydecker could be trusted and had brought him into their small circle.

Lydecker had asked Sandeman for the reason behind all that they had been doing, but Sandeman had steadfastly refused to tell him. For some reason, Lydecker had decided that the old man could be trusted. Since then, Lydecker had been helping them to keep an eye on the transgenics.

In the meantime, through her contacts, Renfro had been gradually sifting out one after another of the committee members. She had even managed to stage 'accidents' for the other two co-founders of Manticore who had betrayed Sandeman. A year before Renfro's assassination, she had managed to achieve her goal while keeping her cover. After ten years of transgenic exploitation, committee was no longer ruled by those who were power and money-hungry, but those who were more moderate in their approach.

Lydecker had almost given up on asking Sandeman for the reason behind their plans when one day, a few months ago, Sandeman had finally told him the truth.

Sandeman had belonged to a cult, one which thought that they were the superior beings. They called themselves familiars and possessed super-human strength. The members of the cult were a product of hundreds of years of selective breeding. Part of the selective breeding required the first-born and second-born child to be killed, and the third child to be initiated in a ceremony involving a type of potentially fatal snake venom.

After the death of his first child, Sandeman had not been able to commit the same act on his second child. He had hidden the child away and since then, had researched ways of creating something to make his child as strong as any of the familiars without subjecting the child to the ceremony. He had managed to create an artificial antibody for the snake venom, and then found that the human body would not accept it. Something had been missing. Sandeman had finally realised what it was.

It needed to be synthesised in a human body.

His attempts had escalated when the familiars announced their ultimate plan to conquer the human race. The familiars had listened with rapt fascination to their High Priestess as she announced that she had seen the signs of the Coming. The Coming would wipe out the inferior, normal humans. The familiars, with their superior make-up would live to rule the planet.

Sandeman had thought that they were out of their minds. But as time went by, the world domination plan had become more and more prominent, much to Sandeman's incredulity. He had realised that normal human would not have a chance at all to defeat the familiars. And he did not have a few hundred years to selectively breed an opposing cult.

That had been when he finally came up with the idea of Manticore.

It had not been hard for him to obtain enough samples of the familiars in order for him to study their genetic make-up, seeing that they had been quite casual about slashing themselves in various cult ceremonies. With that, and the knowledge he had on the Coming, Sandeman had managed to find out more about them. And that was what he had included to the blueprint of the transgenics without his co-founders' knowledge.

To his satisfaction, those transgenics had shown enough resistance to keep themselves safe when he had tested them.

To his disappointment, their resistance had been non-transferable.

Sandeman had returned to the drawing board then, refining his design. The genetics of the transgenics and its results were unpredictable, so one after another series followed, and Sandeman still had not reached his goal.

Until he created the X5s.

The X5s had shown larger promise in the ability to transfer their resistance to others, but Sandeman could only confirm a select few who could do it. However, in his tests, he had found that one transgenic had something a little different from the rest of them. When he had finally realised what it meant, he could hardly believe his luck.

However, before he could do anything about his findings, Manticore had been taken over.

Lydecker let out a sigh, wondering what he was supposed to do now that Sandeman had been captured. From what the transgenics had told him, the kidnappers sounded like these familiars Sandeman had been talking about. Lydecker knew that he needed to retrieve the old man, but what he knew about them made him wary of doing so.

He could send the transgenics out, but he would not send them before they understood what was at stake. And he needed to ensure that this plan had no flaws, because this was one mission they could not afford to lose. It was going to take time.

Time which they might not afford.

* * *

Biggs looked up from his position on the couch when the front door swung open. His eyes rounded and a smile spread across his face when he noticed Jondy and Gab standing there. They had been away for almost two weeks now and Biggs was beginning to worry. He had missed talking to them. 

The two of them stepped in slowly, each carrying a rucksack. As soon as they spotted Biggs, both of them stilled. The smile on Biggs' face dissipated as he noted the look of discomfort on both their faces. He did not need to be psychic to know what they were thinking. That incident with Jondy had been on his mind too.

Clearing his throat, Biggs said, "Hey, finally back, huh? How was it?"

A moment of silence followed and then Jondy spoke. "It went quite well, I thought. We caught the scammers and the ring-leader had been sent to prison."

Biggs grinned. "That's great," he said, trying to catch Gab's eye.

The other transgenic had managed to avoid looking at Biggs ever since he had stepped into the room. The last time they had been in the same room was when Gab caught him having sex with Jondy. They had not spoken to each other since then.

Tentatively, Biggs ventured, "Hey, man. How're you doing?"

Stiffening slightly, Gab turned to face Biggs, his expression unreadable. "Been better, but surviving," he said shortly. Picking up his rucksack, he continued with a small wave, "Well, catch you later. Need some shut-eye." Without waiting for an answer, he walked into his bedroom and shut the door.

Sighing, Biggs raised his eyes to Jondy, who was still standing near the door staring at Gab's door. "I take it he's not dealing with it too well," he said tightly. He pinched the bridge of his nose and then continued, "The weird thing is, it wasn't as if you two were together when it happened. If it was that, then I suppose I can't blame him. Also, can't he understand that I didn't do it on purpose? So why the hell is Gab still so pissed off with me?"

Jondy shook her head wearily. "It's not like that, Biggs. It's not anyone's fault. Gab knows that. It's just that he didn't realise that he felt something for me until he saw us, so he's taking it a bit hard."

"I guess. If it had been the other way round, I would probably have punched the day-lights out of him." Biggs said wryly.

Raising an eyebrow, Jondy said, "Oh, yeah? You don't strike me as the possessive type."

"Then you don't know me very well," Biggs countered with a small smile.

"I think getting to know you better would give others a wrong impression."

"Others as in…Gab?" he asked, shifting around to find a more comfortable spot on the couch. Patting the empty spot beside him, he said, "Are you going to stand there all day or what?"

Jondy walked over to him and sat down with a sigh. "It just felt a bit funny just now, you know? The three of us feeling so uncomfortable around each other?"

"You didn't answer my question. You guys an item now?" Biggs asked, and then tried to swallow past his dry throat. _What the heck was wrong with his throat_, he thought irritably.

"I guess you could say so," Jondy said softly.

"Right," Biggs said, smiling stiffly, suddenly feeling edgy. "At least something good came out of all this, huh?"

Noticing Biggs' expression, Jondy gave him a look of concern. "Are you okay? You look a bit…I don't know. Pale?" she asked. She laid her hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

Biggs swatted her hand away with a grin, but he could feel the imprint of her fingers like it was still there. "Transgenics don't get sick, Jondy."

Jondy rolled her eyes. "Of course we do!"

"Yeah? When was the last time you got sick then?" he challenged.

Jondy's brows drew together as she tried to think. A few second later she gave up. "Okay, fine. You're right. I can't remember when I actually got sick. Apart from the seizures when we were kids, of course."

"That's different. That's a genetic flaw. And anyway, Manticore fixed that so many years ago that it doesn't count anymore."

"Oh, whatever. I'm too tired to even think of arguing with you," Jondy said. Pushing herself off the couch, she yawned and said, "I think I'm going to join Gab."

Biggs stilled.

Noticing the look on his face, Jondy laughed. "Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant that I was going to get some rest. Shark DNA or not, the mission had been tiring and I need some sleep."

Giving her a sheepish smile, Biggs said, "Okay then. See you later."

Returning his smile, Jondy turned and walked to her room, leaving Biggs to stare at her retreating back.

* * *

Gab leaned his head against the door as he squeezed his eyes shut. He now knew what they say about eavesdroppers not hearing anything good. 

Facing Biggs had been harder than he thought it would be. When Gab had walked through the door, he had every intention of behaving normally to the other transgenic. But the minute he had taken a look at Biggs and the couch, flashes of what had happened the last time he had been in that room came back to haunt him.

Feeling slightly ill, he had decided that it would probably be better if he had sometime alone. Once in his room, he had instantly felt foolish. He could not face Biggs just yet, but Gab felt bad for treating his fellow transgenic that way. Biggs had made an effort to talk to him, and he had not even responded.

Determined to fix thing before it was too late, Gab had been on his way out to apologise when the sound of Biggs and Jondy talking filtered through the door to him. He had paused when his name came up. Curious, he had stood on his side of the door and listened.

And now, he wished he had not done it.

It had not been obvious, but from what he had heard, it seemed to him that Biggs had taken an interest in Jondy. _That bastard,_ Gab growled inwardly. As if what he had done was not enough, and now Biggs wanted more from Jondy?

There was no way Gab was going to apologise now. Biggs did not deserve it.

_And if Biggs wants Jondy, he would have to go though me first_, Gab thought savagely.

* * *

Alec laid on his back in his cell in Manticore, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. 

They had been back since yesterday and since then, he had been expecting to be called to Lydecker's office. But it had not happened. Everything seemed to have gone quiet on Lydecker's side, much to Alec's confusion. After asking him if he had taken command of the operation, Lydecker had not said a further word to him or asked him to elaborate on the events which had led to Sandeman's capture.

And that worried Alec. Mission failure had always meant punishment, and although he dreaded what Manticore might dish out to him, Alec had been prepared to take it. He _had_ failed the mission, and so punishment was what he expected.

Not this silent treatment.

His mind was filled with images of Sandeman and Kelpy being tortured and it made him feel cold to the bones. He wanted to do something, to be on a rescue mission, not sit here with only his thoughts for company. Maybe this was the punishment; not being told what was happening. Leaving him in his cell to wonder, slowly driving himself insane.

Alec smiled bitterly. It was definitely working. Any punishment would be better than lying there, feeling like the world's greatest failure and being completely hopeless. He wondered if he should go out and break some Manticore rules to get himself punished on purpose.

Before he could make up his mind, a familiar scraping sound distracted him from his thoughts. He turned to the wall just in time to see Max pulling herself through the hole in the wall between their cells.

Standing up, she dusted herself and gave him a small smile. "Hey, you okay?" she asked with concern. She had not seen him since they had returned to Manticore yesterday and was beginning to worry. Alec would normally not let a day pass without talking to her if he could help it.

Alec's lips twisted in a self-mocking smile. "Of course. Why shouldn't I be?"

Max looked at him sceptically. "Right, and I'm supposed to believe that you're okay?"

Turning away from her, Alec returned his stare to the ceiling said, "You can believe what you want to."

Max's eye narrowed at his reply. "What's up with you? I know that things are bad, but I'm just trying to help, Alec."

"Don't need it," he said shortly, still staring at the ceiling.

Max threw her arms up in exasperation. "Alec, if this is about your so-called failure in the mission, then I think you should try to put things in perspective. It's not your fault that Sandeman got caught. Even Zack knows that. You being in command of the mission didn't mean that everything that went wrong was ultimately your fault. There's only one of you, so how could you possibly keep track of what each of us were doing?"

"Even if I didn't keep track of everyone, I should have at least watched out for Sandeman. I mean, we knew that he was the target and yet, White had just walked in and dragged him out practically in no time."

"We put up a good fight, Alec. And they were strong. White and his men were nothing like ordinary soldiers," Max pointed out.

"And we're meant to be the ultimate human weapon, purpose-build soldiers. That should count for something, right?" Alec snapped.

Irritated at the way Alec was carrying on, Max said, "You got to snap out of this, Alec. Blaming yourself isn't going to help."

"You don't understand, Max."

She gritted her teeth. "What don't I understand? I'm a CO too, don't you remember? I have to deal with things when the X6s' missions go wrong."

"Look, Max, it's hard to explain, especially when you didn't even go through the basic training back at the start of our teens. You don't know the sort of training we had to go through, especially the COs. All the COs had additional training because of all the extra responsibility they have given us. We were trained to take the lead and be responsible for the outcome, no matter good or bad," Alec explained impatiently.

Max took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. She could not believe that he thought that just because she had not been formally trained as a CO, she would not understand what it was like. "So, just because you've got extra training on me, that means that you're doing the right thing by sitting here and moping? What sort of CO behaviour is that?"

Her words struck a nerve. Alec sat up abruptly, throwing a glare in Max's direction. "What? So now you have a problem with my behaviour as a CO?" he questioned tightly. That was all he needed; Max going on at him about his behaviour. As if he did not feel bad enough.

Her patience waning, Max snapped, "I call it like I see it. Right now, all I can see is that you're sitting there moping and blaming yourself when there's absolutely no need for you to do that. How are you supposed to lead your team when you're like this?"

Alec seethed. Not only did she not understand, she had the gall to challenge him. Again. "Did you come in here to make me feel worse than I already am?"

"No, I'm trying to help you get out of this funk you're in."

"You're doing a great job, Max. Carry on and I think I might end up in psy-ops for psychological evaluations," Alec said sarcastically. "I hope you're done now, 'cause with all these help, I might even give myself up to them voluntarily."

Max fell silent. It was obvious that Alec did not want her help. She had thought that with what they had gone through to get to where they were now that he would feel close enough to her to at least_ talk_ to her. That, apparently, was not the case, Max thought bitterly.

She supposed that now she could be sure that whatever fun they had together, it had been just that; fun. When it came to something like this, something like a mission, she would be always second. When it came to a mission, it would seem that they could never see eye to eye.

Thinking back to their mission to retrieve Zack, she remembered that it had been Alec who had suggested that they went their separate ways first, not her. Her mind replayed what had happened that day.

"_Where are you going?" she had asked, staring at him when he had turned to walk away._

_He had ignored her question and had said instead, "Look, Max, it's very clear to me that we'll never see eye to eye on this. And since Lydecker gave you one order and me another, I suggest that we should just try to carry it out without stepping on each other's toes."_

"_What do you mean?" she had asked quietly._

_Alec had not bothered to look at her when he went on, "I hate to say this but I think it might be better if we just do this separately."_

He had said it in such a flat tone that until now, Max could remember how much effort it took her to refrain from crying. It had saddened her that he could say it in such a toneless voice. Never in a million years had she thought that he would rather go their separate ways than try to work things out together.

His treatment of Cammy had been another thing Max could not bear to just stand there and watch. But when she had spoken to him about it, he had not even bothered to try to understand why she had brought it up. In his view, Cammy was a soldier, and hence had to repress all her feelings outwardly. Personally, Max did not think that that was healthy at all. They were soldiers, but they were still humans.

It was as if Alec was two different persons; the soldier and the normal guy. And right now, the soldier part was in charge. Alec had gone into his Manticore soldier mode, and there was no way she could talk to him now.

She knew that it was probably not Alec's fault that he was this way. Manticore had obviously trained their COs to be independent, self-sufficient and not to rely on anyone else for anything. In the process, that had made them isolate their hearts from others. It was something that was so ingrained that Max did not think that she could do anything about it.

Alec was wrong; she understood what was going on. But that did not mean that she agreed with it.

Although she knew that she could not do much to help him now, Max felt her heart clench painfully as she made her way back to the hole in the wall. She had half-expected Alec to stop her from going, but when she did not hear anything from him, she slid through the hole back into her cell without a backward glance.

It was only when she had the block in place that she allowed her tears to fall.

* * *

**t.b.c.**

A/N: (Sighs) Yes…it's angst time! So what do you think of the chapter? Any guesses as to what might become of the couples? Please review...


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** I give up! I've got less than half the usual number of reviews for the last chapter. Anyway, since I'm so attached to this fic, I've decided that review or not, I'm going to carry on until it ends (winks).

**Kungfuchick** – Thanks for reviewing! Gab's 17 and hormonal, lol! What else could I say? As for Biggs, I'll try to get him someone, but I can't promise anything. The MA situation, if you can believe it, will get worse before it gets better, unfortunately (sighs).

**Calistra** – I thought it would be nice to sort of give the Manticore background a wrap-up, although I have dropped subtle hints at the beginning of the story! Don't worry too much about Alec…things will get better for him, eventually! Thanks for reviewing!

**Angelofdarkness78 **– Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, Gab's really hot, I know (grins). As for Lydecker, Sandeman had got him all messed up with all the revelations…and now he's just stumped as to what he should do, lol! A job's great for money, but the work you have to do for it…(sighs…)

**Supernateral** – Thanks for reviewing. Don't worry too much about Alec…He'll be fine, eventually!

**Darkangelgirl262 **– Hmm…Things will get better on the MA front, but not yet :( They have to go through some other stuff to sort out their feelings. But hey, good news is that things will get better very soon for Jondy and Gab (grins). Thanks for reviewing.

**88hainesde** – Thanks for reviewing! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

**Lakergirl08 **– Yeah, you're right about Alec. He's going to royally mess up if he doesn't get his act together soon. Bad news is, things are going to get worse before it gets better. You'll see soon what's the story with Zack. Thanks for reviewing.

**Eva **– Sorry for the angsty chapter, but I promise the story will be less like that in this chapter (grins). Thanks for reviewing!

**Alana84 **– Thanks for reviewing! Hehe! Yeah, eavesdroppers don't normally hear anything good, do they. I'll try to find someone for Biggs, but no promises, the story is getting too long already! Alec needs to deal with 2 things – the failure and his inability to confide in Max. Guess which one he'll sort out firset? (Grins)

**Roxyroo **– Thanks for reviewing. I know, but the angst is necessary, I felt so miserable when I wrote it, lol! But things will get better eventually, I promise!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 34 - Contact**

(by elle6778)

The specialised Battle Processor unit had started off with six transgenics, but now there were only three. Lydecker shook his head slightly as he wondered why Manticore had not trained these transgenics for battle. Three had ended up as casualties during their away missions just because they were unable to protect themselves. Being designed to look inconspicuous and unnoticeable had not helped them at all when they were in the middle of a war zone.

Now Lydecker stood over one of them, waiting impatiently as the transgenic tapped into a computer. He wished that more of them were around, considering the severity of the situation, but the other two had been deployed on other missions. The one in front of him, known as Brain, was the only one in the facility. Although Brain's tubby figure and rounded face did not give the impression that he was good at anything apart from lying in front of the television stuffing his face, Brain was actually the best battle processor Manticore had ever created.

"How are we doing?" Lydecker finally asked when his patience ran out.

Brain looked up from the computer, his eyes far away in thought initially until he registered Lydecker's question. "I've checked for irregular activities around the area, but I need more time. We have too little information."

"Tell me something I don't know," Lydecker said irritably.

Taking Lydecker's words literally, Brain took a deep breath and started. "Okay. Based on the information we have, I would say that there is about 78.2 chance that the abductors are no longer in Seattle but within a thousand miles radius, 19.3 chance that they are still Seattle and 2.5 chance that they are overseas. Current data we have suggests that they are more likely to head South East," Brain recited.

"That doesn't really help us. The sweep area is too large," Lydecker said, looking at his watch. It was 0938 hours. "You have till tonight to refine the findings. Otherwise, we might not get to Sandeman on time."

"The probability of Sandeman being killed in the next 48 hours is only 33.1. The most likely scenario would be that they torture him for information. However, the probability of him surviving the torture, taking into consideration his health and age, would be 25.8," a grim looking Brain informed Lydecker.

The older man pinched the bridge of his nose. Brain's words made him feel worse. "Just get me the info on their location and we'll send the active units out."

Lydecker was about to step out of the room when Brain's voice made him halt. "Sir? Permission to speak frankly?"

Gesturing at Brain impatiently, Lydecker said, "Considering that I'll be taking your advice on this mission, you can be as frank as you want."

Brain gave Lydecker a small smile. "From your description of the failed mission and those involved in it, I think that you might want to see the CO in charge soon."

Lydecker lifted an eyebrow. "I was going to call a meeting this afternoon. We've just got back last night. Why did you say that?"

"There is a 99.5 certainly that he's blaming himself for the mission failure. That would affect morale, sir."

That's just what he needed, Lydecker thought with an inward sigh. He guessed that under normal circumstances, Alec would have to be punished in accordance with the Manticore rules. But he was not sure that fighting members of a super-strong cult qualified as normal.

To Brain, he said, "I'll keep that in mind. Anything else?"

The transgenic looked as if he wanted to say more, but he shook his head. "That's it, sir."

"Good. I'll see you later."

* * *

A smile spread across Logan's face as he listened to the man on the other end of the phone. 

"I've kept to my part of the bargain, White. But Manticore is still out there," Logan said in a suggestive tone.

"Bringing Manticore down wasn't part of our deal. I've given you valuable information to work with, and if you can't get your act together, tough," White said in a sneering voice.

Logan bristled at White's blatant insult on his abilities. Shifting the topic away from himself, he asked, "What are you plans for Sandeman?"

"That's not your concern. We'll deal with him our way."

Logan frowned worriedly, wondering what White had in store for the old man. He wanted justice served, but not at the expense of human rights. Not to mention Sandeman would be an excellent source of information. Keeping his voice level, he voiced his thoughts, "Sandeman is linked to Manticore, so why don't you let me question him? He might be able to give us more information."

"That's not part of our deal, Cale. Sandeman belongs to us now," White replied impatiently.

The cyber-journalist's frown deepened. White sounded as if they were going to do something terrible to Sandeman. Much as Logan wanted to bring Manticore down, he did not condone reckless killing or the torture of an old man. Outwardly, he said calmly, "It would not take long. Just a couple of hours."

"That's non-negotiable, Cale. Keep to our bargain. I've got what I wanted and you've got your information. If you're smart, you won't talk to anyone about this, or I won't be responsible for your fate," White said softly, but there was no mistaking the threat in his voice.

"The threats are not necessary. Fine, I take it that this is the end of our agreement then?" Logan asked, keeping his voice level as he clamped down on his feeling of nervousness.

"That's right. Remember what I said about your silence, and you won't regret it," White said before hanging up.

Logan let out a breath that he had not realised he was holding. Removing his spectacles, he rubbed his tired eyes as he mulled over the conversation he just had with White. Something told him that there was something fishy going on, but Logan just did not know what. For the umpteenth time, he wondered if he was doing the right thing by working with White.

A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Is everything okay?"

Logan turned around to face Jondy. Arranging his face into a casual smile, he told her, "Yes. That was just one of my contacts on another case I've been working on."

Gab turned from the window to look at Logan, his face curious. "Oh? Anything interesting? We're kind of free now," he offered.

Logan shook his head. "No, not just yet anyway. I need to work on it a little bit more."

Gab shrugged. "Okay, it's no big deal." Turning to Jondy, he said, "I'm heading back home. You're coming?"

"No, I told Biggs that I'll meet up with him this afternoon," she said, noticing the way Gab's expression suddenly turned chilly. She made a note to talk to him about it later.

"Right," he said shortly.

Ignoring him, she got off the couch and said to Logan, "I think we've told you everything anyway, but call us if you need anymore info on that casino scam okay?"

Logan nodded, walking the Jondy and Gab as they headed to the door. He wanted to confide in someone for a second opinion on White. The only other person who knew what was going on was Asha, but she was in Vegas, giving evidence to the police. Logan sighed. He guessed he just have to wait until she returned.

Jondy was almost at the door when she suddenly paused and turned back. "Oh, Logan. Could I use your phone to call Biggs? I forgot where we supposed to meet."

"Sure," he said absently, his mind still occupied with thoughts of White. Picking up his phone, Logan tossed it at her. "Go ahead."

"Thanks," she said gratefully as she pressed a series of buttons, her eyes fixed on the screen. Then she held the phone to her ears.

"Biggs? Jondy here. Can't remember where we're supposed to meet. Was it the diner at South Market or the one near Jampony?" She nodded as Biggs replied. "Yeah, see you soon," she said and then pressed a button to end the call.

Gab gave her a barely concealed look of disgust, which she missed. Tossing the phone back to Logan, she said with a wave, "Later."

Logan waved at their retreating backs and turned back to his screen. He was going to try his damnest to find out where had Manticore relocated to.

* * *

The minute they left Logan's penthouse, Gab yanked Jondy to face him. He had no idea what she was doing calling Biggs up, but there was no way he was going to keep quiet about it. 

"What's all that deal with Biggs?" Gab hissed under his breath to Jondy, who was staring at him in bewilderment.

When she realised what he meant by his question, Jondy grinned. "Jealous, Gab?" she teased mischievously.

Gab snorted. "What? Of Biggs? You're kidding me," he huffed.

She glanced at him as she bit her lips, noticing his tightly clenched jaw. "Relax, Gab. The call was fake. I was talking to a dialtone," she said, feeling bad for letting him believe otherwise earlier.

Gab's expression softened visibly. Giving her an accusing look, he said, "You did that on purpose."

"So what if I did?" Jondy teased him. "It's good to see you all riled up."

Scowling, he said, "It's not funny, Jondy. Especially not when it's Biggs. I'm still having a hard time getting over that incident."

Sighing, Jondy wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. Gab's arms automatically went around her, hugging her to him. Whispering into his chest, she said, "You know how I feel about you Gab. You've got nothing to worry about. And I hate being reminded of that time."

"Sorry, I'll try not to mention it next time," he said into her hair.

Lifting her head to look into his emerald-green eyes, Jondy said in approval, "Good."

Extracting herself from his arms, she scanned the area. "We need to call Manticore from a public phone," she muttered under her breath.

His mind going back to what they had heard in Logan's penthouse, Gab exclaimed, "How the hell did that White guy got hold of Sandeman?"

"Beats me. I guess Manticore knows about this already, but I think they might be interested in having White's number," Jondy said, grinning cheekily.

Realisation dawned upon Gab. So Jondy was hoping that White's number would help Manticore find the man who held Sandeman captive. "So that's why you wanted Logan's phone," he said, feeling a little sheepish for his jealousy now.

Jondy nodded and then her eyes softened, understanding Gab's unspoken fears. Reaching out for his hands, she linked their fingers together and stared into his eyes. "It has always been you, Gab. I was hooked ever since Max introduced us in the gym. You remember that day?"

Gab felt his heart thaw. Smiling, he said softly, "Yeah, how could I forget?" Then his eyes twinkled as he continued, "You left me with bruises everywhere. I had problems walking the next day."

Jondy laughed, "A girl's got to do what she's got to do when she needs some contact."

Gab snorted, "Of that kind?" Pulling Jondy into a hug, he said, "I was so stupid I couldn't see it. Even after you practically threw it in my face."

Pulling away from his arms to stare at him, she gave him an accusing look. "You rejected me."

A look of remorse crossed his face. Gab rested his forehead against hers. "I said I was stupid. I think at that time it just scared me so much I didn't know how to deal with it."

"It's okay now," she said, her breath tickling his chin.

"Definitely more than okay," he said softly and then closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against her. At her sigh, he deepened their kiss until the sound of wolf-whistles from passer-bys caught their attention.

Pulling away reluctantly, Jondy smiled and said simply, "Tonight."

Ignoring the look of surprise on his face, she grabbed Gab's hand suddenly, urging him into a jog. "Let's go. We've got things to do now."

Gab let himself be led to the phonebooth, still dazed from their kiss and the thought of what would happen that night. Grinning at the thought, he suddenly realised that for the first time in a long time, he could not wait to get home.

* * *

Zack paced the length of his cell as he mulled over the situation he had gotten himself into. Maybe he should have just walked away, after all, it was not really his fight since he had decided to leave Manticore long time ago. 

He should not have agreed to go out for that walk with Sandeman that night. If he had not, he would not be in this situation right now. He was thrown by Sandeman's explanation of what had happened to turn Manticore into the way it had been when they were kids. But now that he thought back, he realised that it was true. Manticore had only started treating them badly after he had reached his sixth year. Before that, he remembered that Sandeman had used to come to the dorms to talk to them and punishments were not so common.

The story about the familiars had stumped him. He had no idea that the existence of the transgenics was so closely linked to the cult. Sandeman had created them to protect the human race, to fight the cult. And he needed as many of them as possible to succeed.

Sandeman had also told him that there were only a handful of them who could actively combat the Coming, not only by fighting, but also by contributing a part of themselves to the rest of the ordinaries.

Zack, unfortunately, was one of them. One of those whose immunity could be transferred safely to another human being. Unfortunately for Manticore, some of the others who had the same abilities were those who had escaped in '09, namely Tinga, Brin, Ben, Zane and Krit. Sandeman had explained that that was why Lydecker was so desperate to get them back.

But that itself would not have persuaded Zack to stay.

What made Zack stay was the fact that Sandeman had wanted him to protect Max. At that time, Zack had just snorted and told Sandeman that Alec would be perfect for the job, considering his possessiveness.

The old man had given him a knowing smile before telling him that it was precisely why Alec would not be good for the job. Sandeman had needed someone who cared enough for Max, but still could remain detached and in control, hence not letting his emotions cloud his judgement. And that someone was Zack.

Zack had to protect Max because Max had something a little more than the rest of them and they could not afford to lose her. No matter what was the cost.

Zack sighed as he stopped pacing, looking around the cramped cell. He realised that he needed to get some air, the place was suffocating him. Maybe some exercise would do him good.

He pushed the door open and made his way to the gym.

* * *

Alec stepped out of Lydecker's office and shut the door quietly behind him. Lydecker's words had not made him feel any better. So what if their opponents were familiars? That did not mean that it was alright for them to lose the fight and fail the mission. What was the use of being genetically enhanced when they could not even take down some snake cult? 

But at least now he knew why he had not been sent to Punishment.

As he continued to make his way to his cell, Alec frowned slightly as he remembered Lydecker's parting words. They would know tonight if they were to move out. The only two active X5 units left in the facility were Unit 4 and Unit 6, Matt's unit and his, unless Lydecker had meant the X6s as well. Alec doubted it.

He felt a twinge of apprehension at the thought of leading his unit to fight the familiars. Normally, he would not have a problem, but after the recent failure, he was no longer that confident. But he would have not choice in the matter if Lydecker deployed them.

He would just have to make sure that he stayed on track and lead them the best he could to get Sandeman and Kelpy back. Steeling himself, he vowed that he would not fail a mission again. One failed mission did not mean that he was a failure.

His newly found resolve lending lightness to his steps, Alec continued his journey back to his cell feeling much better than when he had left it.

Hearing footsteps as he neared a corner, he slowed a little. When the owner of the footsteps came into view, Alec had to stop himself smirking outwardly when he realised who it was.

"Zack," he greeted and was about to walk pass the sullen looking transgenic when he paused, remembering something which had been hovering at the back of his mind. "Hey, you've got a minute?"

Turning around to face Alec, Zack said warily, "Yeah?"

"Not to say that I'm not glad and all, but what made you come back without a fight?" Alec asked, searching Zack's face for clues.

His expression unreadable, Zack replied, "I thought that's what you all wanted? Does it matter why?"

"You don't strike me as someone who would do something like this for others without a good reason," Alec pointed out.

"It's a long story and it's not mine to tell," Zack told him with a weary sigh.

His face showing his curiosity, Alec pressed on, "Oh, come on, you can tell me."

"I told you, I can't," Zack insisted, frowning. "Why do you want to know anyway? It's not as if it's going to make any difference to you."

Alec smirked and drawled, "I just kind of feel cheated on the chance to fight with you in order to get you back here."

Zack raised his eyebrows. Giving Alec a challenging look, he said, "Well, no reason it can't happen now, right? I'm actually on my way to the gym."

"I think I'll join you," Alec said with a grin.

Side by side, they made a beeline for the gym, each mentally preparing themselves for the sparring session ahead. As they neared the room, a soft sound filtered through the door, making them pause. Recognising the activity which was normally associated with that sound, they exchanged a questioning look.

"Who do you think it is?" Alec asked in a whisper.

Shrugging, Zack reached out and twisted the doorknob. "We'll find out soon." He pushed the door open slightly and looked in.

Zack's eyes widened as he caught sight of who was inside the gym. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed roughly and then hurried inside. But once inside, he stopped and stared wordlessly at the couple, his mind frantically trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

Surprised at Zack's reaction, Alec froze only for a second before rushing in after him. When he saw what made Zack react the way he did, Alec felt his blood boil. Unable to contain his anger, he shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing, you asshole?"

Matt lifted up his dishevelled blonde head and looked up at Alec from his position on the floor. "Back off, Alec," he snarled as he held the girl in his arms possessively.

His eyes full of murderous rage, Alec clenched his hands into tight fists and gritted out, "That's my line. That's MY girl. Get your hands off Max before I kill you!"

* * *

**t.b.c. **(grins wickedly!) 

A/N: Finally found a spot to put the cliffie! LOL! Things seem to be getting worse? Or better? Hope you liked the chapter, though. Let me know what you think. Please review!


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. Yada, yada! No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

A/N: No individual review responses are allowed anymore :(. I'll try to PM all of you who had reviewed, but for those who did it anonymously, I apologise in advance for not being able to respond because I have no way of contacting you. Anyway, a great big thank you to kungfuchick, kim, w1cked angel, calistra, burningnostalgia, darkangelgirl262, 88hainesde, latinapotterfan, lakergirl08, Nina430, Roxyroo, angelofdarkness, SequioaUnderwood, Alana84, Lotamoxie, ceel, eva and L80bug for reviewing!

**Also, heed this note:** It might get a bit uncomfortable towards the end... Hence the change in rating. I've added this note after getting a flame from someone. There's a reason why things are happening the way it's happening, but feel free to comment. I shall sit here, dreading those flames, but there's nothing much I could do since I've decided to go that way...

**(This chapter is rated M)**

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 35 - Misunderstanding**

(by elle6778)

Unperturbed at Alec's threat, the transgenic just growled back, "What the hell are you talking about, Alec? You're interrupting us. Get out before I make you regret it." He moved himself between the girl and Alec, protecting her nude body from Alec's gaze. His barcode was revealed as he moved.

Alec's jaw dropped. Hell, the guy was not Matt. It was his unit member, X5-480, or now better known as Mick. Mick had been the one who had gone with him to retrieve Max years ago, and now he was getting it on with her?

"Mick? What the hell are you doing?" he asked incredulously. Mick knew how he felt about Max. _Everyone_ knew how he felt about Max.

Alec narrowed his eyes and was about to make his way to the pair before the sound a familiar voice stopped him. The voice was not speaking to him, but to Mick. "Let's take this elsewhere, soldier boy," she purred as she rubbed against Mick seductively.

The blinding rage which had filled Alec was suddenly replaced with a cold sinking feeling. Why was Max ignoring him? Was it because of how he had treated her the last time she had been in his cell? Was she so angry that she had to do this to get back at him? And why was she talking in such a weird accent?

Turning his attention to her, Alec asked flatly, "So you're going with him?"

She smiled in his direction just for a second before latching herself back onto Mick with apparent disregard for her nudity. "You're cute, but I think Mick's enough for me for the moment."

Zack and Alec both sucked in a sharp breath, hardly believing what they were seeing and hearing. It could be her heat speaking, but both of them knew that the pheromone level they had detected in the room was a little low for it to be a full blown heat, otherwise Zack and Alec would have been affected as well. Perhaps the two of them had actually had sex, which would explain the drop in level.

Alec felt sick.

"You heard her," Mick said pointedly.

Alec swallowed hard as he willed himself not to go over and yank Mick off Max forcefully. He could not understand how they could do this to him, whatever the motivation might have been. He had not slept around with anyone. Hell, he had not even slept with _her_! But she appeared to be more than willing to do it with Mick. Alec wondered how long it had been going on. The numbness in him increased as their betrayal sank in.

Zack could feel the almost palpable coldness which emanated from Alec. He did not blame the other transgenic. Even though Zack was not an item with Max, he felt disgusted with her behaviour. Much as he disliked the thought of Max being with Alec, the sight of Max being with another transgenic for some reason did not sit right with him. She should have known better than to sleep around, and to treat Alec that way.

Knowing that they were not wanted there, Zack said quietly, "Let's go."

Unable to speak, Alec nodded and followed Zack out.

Once the door swung shut behind them, Alec sped up and walked in the direction of the main entrance. He needed to get out of the place. The guards at the front entrance took one look at Alec's murderous expression and hesitated just for a second before they let him out into the training grounds.

"Alec, wait," Zack yelled out.

Pausing mid-stride, Alec turned around to face Zack. "If you don't mind, I need to be alone now."

Zack stood his ground. "You know it's probably just heat. This is Max we're talking about."

"Then why didn't she come to me if it was heat? Why Mick? My cell is right beside hers, damn it!" Alec snarled loudly. Then taking a breath to calm himself, he said in an even tone, "Look, Zack. Just leave me alone for a while, alright?"

"Fine," Zack finally said, turning away and walking back to the building.

Leaving Alec alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Logan took off his spectacles and rubbed his sore eyes. He had spent practically the whole day in front of his computer trying to track the locations of the transgenics. 

He had started from the place where White had found Sandeman and worked his way out from there. There were too many vehicles in the area and he was struggling to make sense of their routes.

But Logan knew that all he had to do was to persevere. He was sure that he would find Manticore's location sooner or later. It was important for him to get this right.

There were children to be saved.

* * *

Max had been lying on her bunk, preparing for another sleepless night when the guards came to call her. Lydecker had called a meeting for all the COs in the facility. 

Her heart jumped in anticipation. She had not seen Alec since he had rejected her last night and now she would be seeing him in the meeting. Max hated to admit that part of her had hoped that Alec would come see her, but he had not, and her pride did not allow her to approach him again. Her disappointment was sharp, reinforcing her decision earlier today to call it quits with him. She did not think that she could deal with being with someone who did not trust her enough to share with her when it came to things which mattered.

As she walked out of her cell, her breath caught and then her heart sank.

Alec was passing right in front of her, his face set in a frozen Manticore mask. He did not even bother to look at her, let alone talk to her, she noticed much to her consternation.

Although she knew that he would probably just brush her off, she could not keep herself from addressing him. "Hey, Alec. How is it going?"

Alec froze on the spot before turning around slowly to face her, his expression still blank. "What do you think?"

Mystified at his reaction, she said, "How should I know?"

He just stared wordlessly at her with an unreadable expression.

"What's gotten into you, Alec?" she asked, irritated that he was behaving so cold towards her. All she had done last night was to offer to listen to him. She was the one who was supposed to be pissed off here, not him.

Alec let out a back of laughter. "Funny choice of words, Max," he said flatly.

Her annoyance flaring, she snapped, "Oh, whatever. I shouldn't have bothered."

Without another look at him, she strode off in the direction of the briefing room to meet Lydecker. If Alec wanted it that way, who was she to say anything? Calling it quits with him had been a difficult decision for her to make, but the way he was behaving, she did not think that she should care anymore.

When she stepped into the room, she noticed that all the familiar faces were already present. Mole from the Desert Division, Mia from Psy-Ops, Pops from Arctic, Brain from Battle Processors and Gils from Underwater Ops were there. Dana, Jace and Scrib, the COs of Unit 1, Unit 3 and Unit 5 were absent, so she guessed that they were probably on a mission.

As she sat down, she noted from the corner of her eyes that Alec had placed himself at the other end of the table. Some of the transgenics saw this and looked between them questioningly, obviously wondering what had happened to the normally inseparable pair. She swallowed hard, forcing her face into some resemblance of nonchalance. There was no point broadcasting her disappointment for everyone to see.

A new transgenic then walked in, followed by Lydecker. Max's eyes widened as she noted his resemblance to Krit as she stood up with the rest of the transgenic to salute. _Did they manage to recapture Krit as well?_

Putting down a stack of files on the table, Lydecker spoke, "Sit down."

Lydecker had apparently noticed her reaction to Krit-look-alike. "I believe that some introduction might be in order," he said. Gesturing to the new transgenic, Lydecker continued, "This is X5-472. For those of you who were out in the field in the past few weeks, you may not be aware that we have recalled our Canadian unit. Their facility has been shut down recently and it was decided that we should share the same base as there are only fifteen X5s in Canada. X5-472 is their CO and will be joining us in our discussions."

"Some of you already know this, but for the benefit of the rest I'm going to explain our mission. Listen carefully because this may be the most important mission you'll ever undertake," Lydecker said, and then proceeded to tell them about Manticore's background and the purpose of the creation of the transgenics.

As Max listened, she realised that what Lydecker was saying actually made a lot of sense. About Manticore's takeover by the committee, its sudden change shortly after she had been recaptured and White's strength and his preoccupation with Sandeman.

"…This brings me to our task. Sandeman had been captured by the familiars, and we need to get him back. They also have one of our transgenics with them. The familiars are difficult to defeat, so we would have to send out a large number of transgenics. Brain, our Battle Processor Unit had successfully extrapolated the information we have from the vehicle movements and from a cellphone number to come up with two possible locations for their base."

"For obvious reasons, only the X-series will be deployed, and this includes the X3s and a number of X6s who have been showing exceptional skills. Although we are recalling Unit 1, Unit 3 and Unit 5 back to the facility, we cannot afford to wait until they return before we set out. We simply do not have the time. So the two core units who will go are Unit 4 and Unit 6, led by X5-494 and X5-481. Ten X6s would be selected by X5-452 and split equally between the two units. Three X3s will go with each unit, also arranged by X5-452. This should bring the number of each unit up to about 20. The Canadian unit, led by X5-472, will be providing back-up. Any questions?"

Matt said, "20 transgenics for each team seem to be overkill, sir."

Lydecker shook his head, "If you ask X5-452 and X5-494, they will tell you otherwise. Do not underestimate the familiars. They are at least as strong as you all."

"What about us?" Mia asked, gesturing to Mole, Gills and Pops at the same time.

"You'll be remaining at here to facilitate with tactics on the comms together with Brain," Lydecker explained.

They spent another hour discussing the logistics and tactics of the mission before Lydecker dismissed them, reminding them that deployment would be at 0600 hours the next morning.

Max was about to leave when Lydecker called her and Matt back.

"Sir?" she questioned.

Lydecker studied them for a moment before he said simply, "X5-599 will go with your unit."

Frowning, Matt asked, "599 had just been brought back. Isn't he a flight risk?"

Turning to Max, Lydecker said, "He had been persuaded to remain from what I understood, not forcefully retrieved. Is that correct, 452?"

Max nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Lydecker looked satisfied at her answer. To Matt, he said, "I believe that that answers your question, 481. You can go now."

As the door shut behind Matt, Max gave Lydecker a questioning look.

Getting straight to the point, Lydecker asked, "What's going on between you and Alec?"

Max tensed at the unexpected question. "Nothing, sir."

"I'm not blind, Max. There's obviously something wrong. You're sitting at opposite ends of the table for the first time in years. Whatever it is, until you fix it, don't let it affect the mission, understood?"

"Yes, sir. We've got it in hand," Max assured him.

"Good," he said, not looking convinced at all. "You can go now."

* * *

It was 2330 hours when Max finally left the X6s and X3s to make her way back to her cell. 

Max ground her teeth together as she thought of her conversation back in the briefing room. Even Lydecker could see that something was wrong between her and Alec. She did not blame Lydecker for being concerned. The last thing anyone wanted was for the transgenics to be in conflict during a mission, personal or otherwise, especially during something as important as this one.

As she passed Alec's cell, she paused, deliberating with herself whether or not to go in to see him. Whether Alec realised it or not, they needed closure. If they were to break up, they might as well do it openly instead of inching around each other for an unknown amount of time.

Her mind made up, she backtracked to his cell and pushed the door open.

"We need to talk," she uttered calmly as he looked up from the rucksack he had been packing his equipment into.

"I can't believe you got the guts to come in here after what you've done," he said, his calm tone in contrast with the harshness of his words.

Max's defences slammed down at his accusation. _He was blaming her for this now?_ Her hackles rising, she snapped, "What did I do? You pushed me away so many times that I'm beginning to lose track of it. You wanted space and I gave you space. What else do you want?"

"Nothing, Max. Nothing at all," he said expressionlessly. "You're free to do whatever you want. Don't let me stand it your way."

"So I guess this is it, then," she said, her heart feeling as heavy as a lump of rock.

Alec's lips twisted in a self-mocking smile. "Yeah," he said softly and then stood up to walk right up to her, pushing his cell door closed.

Max stared at him wordlessly as he raised a hand to push a loose strand of hair behind her ears. "Just for old time's sake," he said before capturing her lips in his roughly, seemingly venting his anger in their kiss.

Max responded, the bittersweet kiss increasing the ache in her heart.

Feeling as if she was drugged, she participated eagerly even though Alec made it more than clear that he was still angry with her. It was as if he was trying to punish her for something. She did not know how it happened, but next thing she knew, she was on her back, lying naked on his bunk. His eyes bore into hers with feral hunger as he lowered himself.

A moment of clarity suddenly came to her when she realised what they were about to do. "Alec…Stop!" she gasped, not wanting their first time to be overcast with a feeling of anger and accusation. And definitely not as they were about to call it quits. It was not right.

Alec did not seem to have heard, he just continued.

Panic began to assail her and she tried to push him away to no avail. "Please, Alec. Stop!" she repeated, but it came too late. The pain she felt told her that much.

Alec froze.

Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes and saw the tears gathering in them. His own eyes were filled with confusion. Hoarsely, he whispered, "I'm sorry." But his hormones refused to let him stop.

When he finally collapsed on top of her, she pushed hard at him, rolling him off her. Wordlessly, she stood up and dressed quickly, averting her eyes from his body. She winced as she saw the spots of blood on his sheets.

"Max! Listen to me. I didn't mean for it to go that far," Alec said with remorse in his eyes.

Glaring at him accusingly, she said, "I asked you to stop, Alec."

"I'm just angry. I thought you have actually done it with Mick," he explained, his tone belying his desperation for her to believe him.

Max's jaw dropped. Giving him an incredulous look, she said, "_Mick?_ What the hell are you talking about? The last time I spoke to Mick was… I don't know… weeks ago! How could you even _think_ I would do something like that with him?"

"I _saw_ you with him, Max. Remember yesterday in the gym?" Alec accused.

"I was not in the gym yesterday! What is this? You're punishing me because for some weird reason, you thought I had sex with Mick?" she yelled at him, her eyes flashing. What was Alec doing accusing her of something like this?

He did not bother to defend himself. "I saw you naked with Mick on top, Max. Don't bother denying it!" he yelled back.

Compressing her lips into a thin smile, she snapped, "There's one easy way to find out what's going on. Get your clothes on." Why did he not trust her enough to believe her words? Max was determined to prove that he was wrong, even if it meant talking to a third party about it. She never liked to expose her personal issues to the world, but seeing that practically the whole facility knew that there was something wrong, she did not see the point in keeping it quiet anymore.

Alec pulled on his clothes, his eyes flicking her questioning looks.

"We're going to go see Mick," she said, stalking out of the door without waiting for him.

Mick's cell was only four doors down from Alec's so it did not take her long to get there. When she pushed the door open, Mick raised his startled eyes at her.

"Sam? What are you doing here?" he asked just as Alec came into view. Narrowing his eyes at Alec, Mick said, "Man, you're not here to give me a hard time about Sam again, are you?"

Max stood rooted to the spot, staring at Mick, perplexed. In a guarded tone, she said, "My name's Max, not Sam. There's a slight difference there."

Understanding dawned in Mick's eyes. "Oh, it's you. Aren't you on a mission or something? I thought you're Sam," he said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Who's Sam?" Alec asked, baffled.

"X5-453, one of the Canadian chicks. The one in heat yesterday," Mick said with satisfied grin. And then his grin died as he finally understood why they were there. Holding up his hand in an apologetic pose, he said, "Damn! I was so caught up in it that it didn't occur to me what it looked like to you when you saw me and Sam like that. Sorry, man."

Alec stood as still as a statue as he processed the information. Sam, not Max. Mick had been having sex with Sam, not Max. Alec groaned as soon as he realised what a stupid mistake he had made.

"I have a clone? And you had sex with her?" Max asked, her eyes wide in disbelief. Her face twisting, she exclaimed, "Ugh, that's sick!"

"Hey, hold off the insults on my girl," Mick shot back, offended.

Turning to Alec, Max asked, "Happy to believe me now that someone else has confirmed the story?"

"I'm sorry, Max," Alec said, looking sheepish.

"Oh, whatever," she said, swivelling around to make her way back to her room. She could not believe how little he trusted her. And it wasn't as if they did not know that the clones, or twins, existed. Alec should have checked before accusing her of something like that.

Alec rushed after her, leaving Mick to stare at them in bemusement.

"Wait, Max. I told you I'm sorry. I really didn't think. When I saw them together, I thought it was you and…"

Max interrupted him. "And what? What you did just now was just to punish me, huh? I've even accused you of that and you didn't even bother to deny it. That's what you wanted to do, right? Punish me?" she accused, her tone full of hurt and disappointment.

Stepping through the doorway to her cell, she composed herself and said coldly, "Well, we have a heavy day tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep."

Alec stepped back as she slammed the door in his face. Knowing that he deserved her wrath, he sighed in resignation. He had been an idiot about the whole thing and he knew it now.

Just as he was about to enter his cell, a head poked out of a cell few doors down.

"Hey Alec, you okay?" Matt asked with a grin. He, as well as the rest of the block, had overheard Max and Alec's heated argument.

""Peachy," Alec replied blandly.

"You know, Alec, for someone who's supposed to be smart, you can be pretty dense sometimes," another exclamation came from a head out of another cell. This time it was Sandy.

A series of sniggers came from the rest of the cells.

Alec groaned, not up to handling the teasing at that moment. "Shut up and go to sleep," he ordered tightly, shutting the door to his cell with a bang.

* * *

**t.b.c**

A/N: Alec can't seem to get it right with Max, can he! Anyway, not long more until the end of this fic, so please review and let me know if there's anything in particular you want me to clear up. Thanks!


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** I know, I know…most of you hated the last chapter. Sighs But I did say that things are going to get really bad before it gets any better! Ah well…I hope you're still reading this. And thank you to those who had reviewed the last chapter!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 36 - Recovery**

(by elle6778)

Max sat in the darkness of her cell, her mind full of the event which had occurred earlier that night. She still could not believe Alec had done what he did, even after she had asked him to stop.

A small voice inside her nagged at her. _Did you really want him to stop?_

Max frowned. Of course she had wanted him to stop. She had gone to see him to call it quits between them, not to do _that_.

_Yeah, Max, lie to yourself. You're an X5. You could easily throw him off if you're that reluctant,_ the voice taunted.

Max sighed in resignation. She had to admit that she had made no move to stop everything that had happened until right up to the last minute. If she was honest with herself, she had been too enraptured in what he was doing to pay much attention to where it had been leading to. But still, she had expected him to stop when she asked him to. It had come as a shock when he just ignored her.

But at least now she knew why he had been behaving so strangely towards her.

A small smile lifted her lips. She had a twin; Sam. Who would have guessed that? And not knowing about Sam, it was no wonder Alec had thought that Mick had been sleeping with Max. Alec had always been possessive of her, so she guessed that he had just lost it.

Max tried to put herself in Alec's shoes. She supposed that she would be pretty pissed off if she had thought that she had seen him lying naked entangled with another girl. Heck, she would be furious. She would gladly kick his ass to the next planet.

She knew that Alec must be really feeling bad now. The dismay on his face when he had realised out what he did when they had been talking to Biggs told her that much. A part of her wanted to go to him, to reassure him that she understood his actions. However, another part of her wanted him to suffer the way she had done for the last two days.

Lowering her back to the bed, Max groaned as she stared up at the ceiling. The last thing she needed now was to get all confused about Alec, considering their mission tomorrow. At least they were not in the same team, she thought with relief. The mission would be tough enough without them being distracted by each other.

Closing her eyes, she willed herself to sleep. If nothing else, at least she would be physically rested enough for the mission tomorrow.

Max was about to drift off when the sound of tapping on her door caught her attention. The sound was tentative, but persistent.

Grumbling under her breath, she snapped out, "Yeah?"

The door creaked open, and to her surprise, admitting Alec to her cell. He looked terrible, she noticed. Still undecided whether to rant at Alec or to comfort him, she settled for a neutral ground. "What do you want?" she asked levelly.

His eyes searching hers, he said cautiously, "I think we need to talk."

"Okay, shoot."

A slight pause hung in the air before Alec said quietly, "I'm sorry for what happened. It's just that…" he sighed, running his hand through his hair uncomfortably before continuing, "…I thought it was you with Mick, and I was so mad I just snapped," his voice trailed off, his expression uncharacteristically subdued.

His openness surprised her, rendering her wordless. In the past, whenever they had disagreed, Alec would just wait until things cooled down a little before turning up with his smarmy comments.

After a moments silence, she said softly, "Don't you trust me, Alec? Do you think I could do something like that to you?"

"I trust you. And that's why it came as such a shock. I thought you did it to get back at me," Alec explained.

Max frowned. _What was he talking about_, she wondered. "What? To get back at you?"

"Yeah, I've been a bit off with you ever since Sandeman and Kelpy got caught, so I thought…I don't know. That you wanted to pay me back, I guess."

"How could you even think that? Yeah, I was pissed off, but I don't do that sort of shit. But I was hurt that you brushed me off, Alec. When I went into your cell earlier, I was going to call it off."

Alec froze in shock. He knew he had heard her correctly but it was hard to swallow. "Call it off?" he repeated numbly.

"I kind of figured that there was not much point in us being together when we can't even talk things out or share our problems," she explained, not meeting his eyes.

"But we talk…" he protested.

"Alec, yes, we talk and we bicker. Only when it involves the fun bit of our lives. But when something painful comes up, you push me away. You want to deal with it all by yourself, and all I want to do is to help," she pointed out.

"We're talking now."

Max snorted. "Yeah, look what it took for us to start talking like this. Normally, you'd have just come out with some smart-ass remarks. This must be the first time we're doing it like this," she said wryly.

Alec exhaled loudly, rubbing the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. "What can I say, Max? I messed up. You didn't deserve what happened. I behaved like an absolute ass. I know you're really pissed off at me, but I don't know what I could do to fix this mess. Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."

"I don't know, Alec…" she said slowly, looking down at her hands.

Alec swallowed hard. He wondered if she was thinking what he thought she was thinking. Forcing himself to form the words, he said, "Do you want me to go?"

Max's heart dipped at the tortured tone of his voice and her eyes snapped up to his. She searched his face, noting the strained look around his eyes and his tense posture. Why was she hesitating? She had been at the brink of telling him that she wanted to call it quits with him earlier, so why was she hesitating now?

She wondered if she could forgive him for what he did. But was it fair for her to put the blame entirely on him? Things had been bad for him the last week, she knew. And in addition to that, seeing what he had thought was Mick and her having sex did not help matters.

Max knew that the question boiled down to whether or not she wanted to be without him. Her mind travelled back to the last few years. Alec had been an insufferable jackass when they had first met. For the first few years they had known each other, he had been nothing but a pain in her ass, taunting her whenever he had the chance. But he had always been around wherever she turned, even if it had been just to irritate her. And then things had slowly developed into something more, until last year when they had finally admitted their feelings for each other.

They had been inseparable since then. Max had never thought that she could be so happy in Manticore. Until a week ago.

Was she willing to throw away all they had just on one mistake?

The moment of silence dragged on.

Wordlessly, Alec turned and walked slowly to the door. He supposed he should have expected it. What he had done was low, unforgivable. It was just that he had hoped that Max would give him another chance.

His hand was at the door when he heard her call out. He paused, his heart pounding so hard he could hardly breathe.

"No, don't go," she said to his back.

Swivelling around, he faced her with a hopeful look.

Holding a hand out to him, she admitted softly, "I don't think I'm ready to let this go."

Alec exhaled and closed the gap between them. He did not know how she felt about his touch now. He thought sadly, _how did everything go so wrong so fast? _A lump formed in Alec's throat as he took her hand hesitantly; glad when she did not flinch away. "I'm really sorry for what happened, Max."

Smiling a little, she said, "It's done already. There's nothing much we can do about it now. We've just got to move on past it."

Pulling her close to him, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, burying his face in her neck. His heart warmed when she returned his hug just as fiercely.

"I missed you," he whispered against her neck.

"Me too."

* * *

It was only 0600 hours in the morning, but the hangar in Manticore was buzzing with activity. Two jets-planes were lined up, one after another in the large cavernous space. 

Lydecker stood to one side, observing as Unit 4 and Unit 6, led by Matt and Alec respectively began to load the planes. Max was busy briefing the X3s and X6s on the mission, and allocating 'buddies' for the X6s. They would travel by air and then dropped near the site, where they would be issued ground vehicles. The Canadian unit, which would be providing air back-up, was already at the rooftop, waiting to board their choppers.

Unit 4 would be covering Salt Lake City and Unit 6 would be covering Denver. The Canadian unit would be split into two choppers, each hovering nearby the sites.

At precisely 0630 hours, the hangar was emptied. Lydecker stood in the grounds, squinting in the dim light at the diminishing form of the jet-planes and choppers.

Knowing that there was nothing he could do now except wait, Lydecker turned around and headed for the main facility to join the rest of the transgenics in the control room.

At 0800 hours, his cellphone rang.

Picking it up, he barked into the phone, "Yes?"

Frowning when the sound of static on the line obscured what the called had just said, Lydecker asked impatiently,"Who's there?"

The static continued to come and go in bursts, interspersed with a male voice. _"Sir…s Kelpy here… followed Sandeman and hid…familiars don't know I'm here..."_

Lydecker felt his heart race. Holding up his hand, he gestured for the transgenics around him to keep quiet. The transgenics paused in their tasks and looked at him in surprise.

"Kelpy, what's your location?" he asked urgently, and immediately heard sharp intakes of breath around him. He flicked a glance at Brain, who had stepped up next to him to plug a cable into his cellphone. Lydecker guessed that Brain was trying to trace the call.

"… _just managed…out today…not sure where I am… sign says Wend…"_

"Kelpy, can you repeat that?" Lydecker said, his hand clenching the phone tight, praying that the line held at least until Brain complete the trace.

"…_Wendover…"_

Lydecker drew in a sharp breath. Still holding the phone to his ear, he told the transgenics around him. "Sandeman's held in Wendover."

"Salt Lake City," Brain said immediately.

Going back to his cellphone, Lydecker said, "Kelpy, stay low. We're on our way there. Are you injured?"

"…_not hurt…but Sandeman…interrogation."_

"Damn!" Lydecker exclaimed. "Stay where you are, Kelpy."

"_Yes, sir."_

Snapping his cellphone shut, Lydecker turned to face the transgenics, noting the myriad of expressions on their faces. Turning to Pops who had been monitoring the radar, he asked, "Where are Unit 4 and Unit 6 now?"

Looking up from his screen, Pops replied, "They've landed. The planes are on their way back. Looks like both units are in their SUVs now."

"Get the plane back to Unit 6 and redeploy them to Wendover now," Lydecker ordered rapidly. "Divert the Canadian teams to Salt Lake City."

Turning to Brain, he asked, "Did you get a fix on Kelpy?"

Brain nodded as he pointed to the screen. "I've got his location. He called from a phonebox in Wendover."

"Good work," Lydecker said as he watched the rest of the transgenics moving about to carry out his orders.

"We're going to take those familiars down," he said in a ruthless tone.

* * *

A small smile graced his lips when Matt registered what Lydecker was telling him over the secure phone. 

At the end of the call, Matt stuffed the phone back into his pocket and turned back to his strike team in the SUV, which consisted of Val, Sandy, Speed,Hulk and two X6s. The transgenics were looking at him expectantly, wondering what was the order which had just come from central command.

"I've just been told that our target area is Wendover in Salt Lake City. And guess who dropped the information?" he said with excitement in his eyes.

"Who?" Val asked, curious.

"Kelpy."

It took them only a second to process the implication of Matt's word, and then they all burst out in cheers. Grinning widely, Sandy gave Matt a high-five.

"Kelpy's okay!" Max's loud exclamation came through their earpieces, making them flinch.

Rubbing his ears gingerly, Matt grumbled, "Max, do you really need to shout so loud?" He looked out of the window at her.

"Sorry," Max's said without remorse as she pulled her bike closer to Matt's side of the SUV.

"So Kelpy wasn't captured?" Zip's excited voice came through the comms.

Matt shook his head, forgetting that Zip could not see him. Then realising what he had just done, he said, "Apparently not. He managed to get a call out to Lydecker."

"That's great. Now at least we won't have to search all over Salt Lake City for the target point," Gin, one of the X6s said happily.

"How close are we?" Sandy asked, turning to look out of the window of the SUV they were in.

"Another twenty minutes or so, depending on how fast Speed can get this piece of junk to work," Matt said with a wink to Val.

Tossing an offended look over his shoulders at Matt, Speed retorted, "I'm not called Speed for no reason, you twerp!"

"Hey, is that any way to talk to your CO?" Matt asked, his eyes twinkling.

Speed just snorted.

Shaking his head at Speed, Matt glanced out of the window to the other SUV, which was transporting Cass, three X6s and two X3s. The rest of his unit, namely Max, Treve, Zackand Blade, were on bikes.

Sighing, he turned back to the rest of the transgenics in his SUV and said, "I hope Sandeman's alright."

* * *

Biggs was about to head out to get some food when the door suddenly slammed open. He instinctively jumped back into a fight stance before he processed the identity of the intruders. Then he relaxed. 

"Guys, what's the big rush?" he asked, confused at the flustered look both Gab and Jondy sported.

"We're in trouble," Jondy said breathlessly.

"Hey, hey… Calm down," Biggs said, glancing questioningly at Gab, hoping that the other transgenic shed some light into the situation. His relationship with Gab had been shaky ever since the incident with Jondy, but Biggs trusted Gab to act professionally when necessary.

Gab did not disappoint. His brow was furrowed in worry, but he managed to say calmly, "Logan is getting closer to locating our base in Manticore. We've been trying to get hold of Manticore but the lines were all jammed up."

Biggs paled visibly. The last time this had happened, they had to be moved from Wyoming to Seattle. That time, Manticore had been prepared. This time, Biggs were not too sure that Manticore had expected to be exposed so soon.

Standing up, Biggs walked rapidly to his room, saying over his shoulders, "Keep on trying on the phone. I'll try to link in to the system from here."

Rushing back to the door, Jondy said, "I'll do the phone."

When Biggs came back with his laptop in his hands, he found Gab standing by the window, staring out with a frown on his face. Understanding Gab's fears about the safety of his home, Biggs just kept quiet and started setting up the laptop on the coffee-table in front of the couch.

A few minutes later, while the laptop attempted to connect back to Manticore, Biggs looked up to find Gab still frozen in the same position. Deciding that he should do something, Biggs said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, "Hey, it's going to be okay."

Gab flicked a quick glance at Biggs before turning to look back outside. "You know as well as I do that this time it's not the same. There's no way Manticore could have foreseen this. What really scares me is that there're only three of us here and we're not with our own units."

Biggs fell silent for a moment, thinking about what Gab had just said. When they had started this mission almost a year ago, he had been much closer to Gab compared to now. Irregardless of the non-stop bickering between Gab and Jondy before the two of them had hooked up, the three of them had actually got on very well together. And Biggs missed that. Things had been strained between him and Gab ever since Jondy's heat a few months ago.

Knowing it was time they cleared things up between them, Biggs said quietly, "As far as I'm concerned, for the last one year, you and Jondy are my unit."

Gab stiffened slightly, and then turned to face Biggs. "Yeah, I suppose," he said, rather uncomfortably.

Exhaling loudly, Biggs plodded on, "I'm not really into this sort of stuff, but I think we've got something to sort out. About Jondy."

Gab just stared at him wordlessly.

"Come on, man. Say something," Biggs snapped, exasperated at Gab's non-reaction.

His lips tightening, Gab bit out tersely. "Jondy's not your concern."

Biggs rolled his eyes, wondering how he could get through to Gab without causing the stubborn transgenic grievous bodily harm. "Look, I know that Jondy and you are an item, even back when you refused to admit it. Anyone's got to be blind not to see it. But I can't help what happened during her heat. So just for the record, I'm not trying to steal her from you, so can you drop the hostility?"

Gab's eyes flashed for a moment, and then he sighed. "I've been a pain about it, haven't I?" he said reluctantly.

The corner of his lips lifting, Biggs nodded. "You have no idea."

"It's hard for me, that time when I saw you two…"

Biggs interrupted him. "Gab, would you quit obsessing about it? Jondy loves you, not me. Makes me feel a bit jealous actually."

"Hey!" Gab warned, glaring at the other transgenic.

Biggs held his hands up. "Just kidding," he said with a grin.

Turning back to his laptop, he said, "Alright, now that that's sorted out, let's try to get hold of Lydecker."

Nodding in agreement, Gab went to sit beside Biggs on the sofa for the first time in months.

"I can't believe we just had such a sappy conversation,"Gab mumbled, sounding disgusted.

Biggs just grinned.

* * *

**t.b.c. **

A/N: Depending on how long it grows after I add in bits and pieced, there should be one or two more chapters to go till the end of this story, you'll be glad to hear. Reviews are appreciated as always!


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** I'm glad that you all enjoyed the last chapter and thank you very much to those of you who have reviewed. This chapter had been a nightmare to put together, considering how much is going on in the real world around this time of the year, and I'm exhausted! I hope that you'll enjoy it.

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 37 - Runes**

(by elle6778)

The two-storey building near the lake was old and appeared to be abandoned. The paint was peeling off it in strips and the windows had been painted over. However, its appearance was deceiving, as it was the place in which the familiars held Sandeman captive.

But none of the transgenics would have known that it was there had Kelpy not pointed it out to them.

Matt's team was the first on site, after picking up Kelpy using the coordinates supplied by Brain. Kelpy had then told them what had happened to him.

Contrary to what they all thought, Kelpy had not actually been captured. When he had seen White haul Sandeman off amidst the chaos of the fight between the transgenics and the familiars, he had blended into the surroundings and followed them. Considering how nervous he was at that time, it had not been hard to keep his cover as he climbed onto the back of the White's SUV, clinging for dear life as the vehicle sped towards some unknown location.

When they had arrived at the building in Wendover, Kelpy had followed them in without being noticed. White had yanked Sandeman down to the basement and had thrown him into a small cell. At that time, Kelpy had wanted to rush in and beat the crap out of White for manhandling the old man. However, he had realised that it would be suicide for him to do so. He had decided to get back to Manticore instead.

Unfortunately for him, once he had decided to call for help, he found to his consternation that the doors and the windows had been all locked. So he had remained in hiding, continuously blending with his surroundings, sitting just outside Sandeman's cell until a commotion upstairs caught his attention. He had not been able to piece together what was happening between the familiars, but it had sounded as if White was being reprimanded for some security breach. After informing White that he would be useless in the field, they had deployed another team of familiars to find someone called Logan Cale.

That had been when Kelpy managed to sneak out.

The transgenics listened intently as Kelpy outlined the layout of the building, telling them what was on the ground floor, first floor and the two underground basements. Matt keyed in a few commands on his laptop, trying to come up with a the most efficient plan of attack.

When he was finally satisfied with his plan, he briefed the rest of the transgenics on it. A few tweaks to the plan were made before they were finally ready to move in.

After a preliminary survey, they had come to the conclusion that there was no way they could keep the mission covert. The familiars' defences were formidable. They would just have to push their way in with the help of the back-up teams.

It was decided that Zip and one of the X6s would man the base, while the rest of them split into four groups, attacking from all four sides of the buildings. Team Alpha-1 consisted of Matt, Sandy, Hulk and an X6 called Gin; team Beta-1 consisted of Max, Blade, Zack and an X6 called Beet; team Alpha-2 consisted of Val, Speed, Tank and an X6 called Dent; and team Beta-2 consisted of Cass, Treve, an X3 called Bounce and an X6 called Chop.

At Matt's command, the team fanned out, heading towards their designated areas.

* * *

Lydecker put down the phone slowly, his face uncharacteristically pale. He had just got off the phone with Jondy, who had informed him of Logan's plans to expose Manticore.

Again.

He smashed his fist on the table, making the transgenics around him jump as he frantically tried to figure out what the hell he was supposed to do to keep them safe and concealed this time. After the last move from Wyoming, Lydecker had scoped out a few possible back-up safe areas, but none of them was anywhere near habitable at that moment in time. No one had anticipated moving so soon.

Tentatively, Brain spoke up. "Sir? Is everything alright?"

"No! Everything is far from alright!" Lydecker snapped angrily. He could not believe that this was happening now. Turning to face a stricken looking Brain, he forced himself to calm down before he said, "We're about to be exposed again."

A few of the transgenics gasped. The rest of them just stared at Lydecker with shock in their eyes. None of them wanted to move again so soon after they had just settled in the new facility.

"Sir, we have a back-up for this, don't we?" Mia asked, her eyes belying her worry.

"Yes and no. We have a back-up, but the places in question are not suitable for habitation yet," Lydecker replied. "We need to work out some other way to get out of this mess." Turning to Mole and Pops, he said, "You two monitor the Retrieval Mission. Call me if anything deviates from the plan."

"Brain, I need you to work on a cover-up or an escape plan immediately," Lydecker continued as he scribbled something on a piece of paper. "Here's the access code to the database," he said, pushing the piece of paper into a stumped looking Brain's hands.

"Yes, sir," Brain replied numbly, looking shocked. Lydecker had just given him access to the most guarded of Manticore's database. And Lydecker wanted him to come up with a plan to save the entire facility. Brain had no either whether he should be proud or to run as far as possible screaming for help.

A second later, Lydecker walked out of the Command Centre. He needed to make a phone call fast. The committee needed to be involved in this. Lydecker hoped that Brain would be able to come up with a plan to get them out of there in one piece.

* * *

Max crouched low in the bushes with Blade, Beet and Zack close to her. Her sharp eyes zoomed in on the two guards who were leaning against the walls, and then travelled further up to spot a revolving camera which was mounted on the wall.

Max cursed inwardly at the inconvenience. Turning to Blade, she signalled for him to take out the camera at her command. Blade nodded in affirmation. Under her breath, she said, "Beta-1 to all teams."

"Go on, Beta-1," Zip's voice came across their comms.

"We need to take out the camera. Might get a bit noisy in a while," Max said softly. She knew that the familiar would come down on them like a pack of wolves the minute the cameras shattered. But she was confident that they would be able to pull it off, especially considering that the Canadian back-up and Alec's unit would be arriving soon.

"Understood, Beta-1. Everyone ready?" Zip asked.

"Alpha-1 ready."

"Beta-2 ready."

"Alpha-2 ready."

"Canadian-1 ready," X5-472, the CO of the Canadian unit said. He had offloaded his team of transgenics to the ground and was now waiting to move forwards five minutes after the main team had breached the building.

"Okay, on the count of three, teams," Zip said. "One…two…GO!"

Instantly, sounds of shattering lenses pierced the air. The teams rushed forwards, ignoring the blaring sound of the security alarm which went off a second after the cameras had been destroyed.

Blade and Beet reached the guards firsts, dodging bullets as they aimed their weapons to the guards. Being familiars, guards managed to dodge a few of the bullets before one of them finally found its mark, leaving only one guard for Blade and Beet to deal with. Max and Zack did not linger, but proceeded to smash open the windows to gain them access to the ground floor.

Swinging themselves through the window opening, they rushed forwards to where Kelpy had told them the stairs were located. Two familiars ran up the stairs just as Max and Zack were about to down. The familiars sprung up, skipping half the steps in flight to land in front of the transgenics.

"Filthy transgenics. How dare you even step foot in our sacred place?" one of them snarled.

Max rolled her eyes. "Gee, I didn't expect such a warm welcome from you." Pointing her shotgun at him, she said in a hard voice, "Now back off unless you want to end up scattered all over the building."

The familiar smirked, completely unaffected by her threat. And then in a move too fast for any ordinary person to see, he snapped out his hand to swat Max's gun to the side, just as Max pulled the trigger. The bullet impacted with the ceiling, spraying them with chunks of plaster.

Max cursed as she rushed into the familiar, intent on pushing him down the stairs. But the familiar was faster. With a twist of his body, he jumped up and extended a leg towards Max.

"Max! Watch out!" Zack yelled as he swung his gun around, smashing it into the other familiar.

Max's eyes widened and she managed to duck just a second before the familiar's booted foot fully contacted with her shoulders. "Damn!" she exclaimed at the close call. Swivelling around, she launched up into the air towards the familiar.

Not expecting such a quick retaliation, the familiar did not dodge in time before her feet came into contact with his midsection. As he staggered back at the impact, Max landed a blow to his head to knock him out.

Having taken care of his own opponent, Zack gestured hurriedly to Max, "Quick! Downstairs," he said just as Blade and Beet caught up with them.

"More of them coming this way," Beet said, tossing a nervous look over his thin shoulders as he ran along beside Max down the stairs. This was only his second away mission and he did not feel all that confident.

Understanding his apprehension, Max gave the thirteen-year-old X6 a reassuring look. "You're doing fine, Beet. Don't worry. I wouldn't have selected you to come if I didn't think you could do it."

Beet nodded slowly, and Max was glad to see a slight dissipation in his anxiety.

Zip's voice came through the comms, "Base to Alpha and Beta. The Canadian team's moving in as we speak. And Unit 6's chopper just landed. Their ETA is 1620 hours, fifteen minutes from now."

Max exhaled a sigh of relief at Zip's words. With the Canadian team and Alec's team on almost there, at least they could take care of the familiars as Max's and Matt's team searched for Sandeman.

_Alec…_

Max forced herself to push the thoughts of Alec away from her mind. Now was definitely not the time to think about her relationship with him. However, she was glad that they had somewhat reached an understanding last night. It was going to take time before both of them settled back into their relationship after the recent disaster. Max sighed.

A string of colourful curses suddenly reached Max from her comms. She grinned when she recognised the voice as Matt's.

"Beta-1 to Alpha-1. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Alpha-1 to Beta-1. I've had enough of these freaks! Listen up everyone. No more playing nice transgenics here. Get the familiars in any way you can. We're not fighting to just disable anymore, we're fighting to eliminate," Matt snapped over the comms.

The transgenics each indicated that they had heard him through the comms.

Rounding a corner, they found themselves in a corridor with rows of cells on either side. The air smelled dank and musty, Max noted as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. But before they could take a step further, two familiars appeared at the other end of the corridor.

Max signalled for Zack, Blade and Beet to keep the familiars occupied as she tried to find Sandeman. As the three of them blurred forwards to engage the familiars, Max slipped past them to the cells beyond, peering into each to see if Sandeman was inside. What she was doing reminded her eerily of the time that she had rescued Zack and Jondy from the Reds.

All the cells were empty until she arrived at the ninth one. Max gasped when she saw the crumpled heap within, recognising the grey hair even though it was matted with dried blood.

"Beta-1 to Base. Objective's sighted in the basement, west wing. Field med required urgently," she snapped out hurriedly.

"Base to Beta-1. We're sending in reinforcements," Zip said.

"Alpha-1 to Beta-1, we're heading your way. We've got a field med here," Matt said through the comms.

Satisfied that help was arriving, Max turned her attention back to the cell. "Sandeman!" she called out, but he did not seem to have heard her. She stood back from the door and aimed her gun at it. A single shot later, the door swung open to allow Max entrance.

She rushed into dark, damp cell and fell to her knees next to the old man. Gently, she wrapped her arms around him in an attempt to pull him up. But before she could do it, Sandeman groaned in pain.

"It's Max here. Can you hear me?" Max asked softly, her hands checking him for injuries. "You'll be out of here soon. Hang on."

"Max," Sandeman rasped weakly as he cracked opened his eyes to look at her. "No time. I can't make it," he croaked painfully.

"No! You'll be fine once we get out of here," Max insisted, swallowing her fears. Her ears were telling her that more transgenics and familiars had arrived at the corridor outside the cell. The sound of fighting and gunshots were deafening.

"Max, listen to me carefully. Ask Lydecker to tell you about the familiars."

"Shh…he told us already," Max said, pressing her fingers to his lips. "Rest now and we'll talk later after we get out."

"No!" Sandeman protested in a stronger voice, his tone stilling Max's movements. "While you're here you need to take out the High Priestess. She's in the lower part of the basement. Kill her and we'll have less to worry about the familiars wiping out the human race."

Max stared at him in confusion. "High Priestess? Why?"

"The runes on her body will tell the familiars when it will happen. There's something in her genetic makeup which reacts to the changes in the movement of the constellation and stars. The familiars can't prepare for it if they don't know when it's coming."

"Okay, I'll do it," Max said, not exactly sure what she had just promised to do. Her eyes flicked to the door just as Zack skidded in. "Can you get up?" she asked.

Zack went to Sandeman and propped the old man into a sitting position.

Sandeman shook his head and grabbed Max's hand in a surprisingly tight grip. His bleary eyes burned into Max's. "Another thing, Max. Don't worry when you see runes appearing on your body. When I was mixing up genetic cocktail for you, I used the High Priestess's genetic blueprint in combination with animal DNA for you, so you will get the same runes. All COs can read it, but I only managed to train Zack to decipher the actual meaning of the runes before I left Manticore. Find out when the Coming will arrive and immunise the Ordinaries before it hits."

"You can tell us this later. Right now I need to get you out!" Max proclaimed desperately, not wanting to believe the implication of what Sandeman was telling her. Her eyes welled up at the resigned look on Sandeman's face. She knew that Sandeman did not believe that he would live, otherwise he would not be telling her all this.

Sandeman reached out a hand to touch her cheeks weakly. "You're my special little one, Max. I'm proud of you." Turning to Zack, he said with his voice growing weaker by the second, "Take care of her, Zack. Remember what I told you about the antidotes."

Zack nodded as he scooped Sandeman up in his arms.

At that moment, Matt rushed into the cell followed by his strike team, his eyes going straight to Sandeman. "Is he okay?" he asked apprehensively.

Zack shook his head. "It doesn't look good."

Taking a deep breath, Max raised her eyes to Matt and said, "Sandeman wants us to take down the High Priestess. She's hiding in the lower basement."

"I'll bring Sandeman out. I need to get him to the field meds," Zack said, looking down with concern at the pallor on Sandeman's skin.

"Sandy will go with you. She's a field med. Zip is also one, so if you just head to the Base you'll be fine," Matt said before he turned to face Hulk and Gin. "Hulk, Gin, I think it's better for you two to go with Zack and Sandy. I'll stay with Max and her team. Zack will temporarily take command of Alpha-1."

Zack glanced at Matt with a look of surprise.

"What? You were Max's CO before the escape, right?" Matt said with a frown as he made his way to the door.

"Uh, right," Zack replied, and then proceeded to instruct Alpha-1 to move out.

Matt did not wait until the cell had cleared before he signalled for Max, Blade and Beet to follow him.

"Beta-1 to all teams. I'm taking command of Beta-1. We're heading down to the lower basement. Report your status," Matt rapped out.

"Alpha-2 to Beta-1. We're with some of the Canadians on the ground floor, currently engaged with the familiars," Val reported.

Treve reported next. "Beta-2 to Beta 1. We're outside, scoping the perimeter. Unit 6 has just arrived."

"Good," Matt said as he ran down a flight of stairs which he hoped would bring him to the High Priestess. "Come on, guys, we've got familiars to wipe out."

* * *

**t.b.c. **

A/N: The mission continues in the next chapter…I'm all wiped out for now! Please review and let me know what you think!


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** Thank you very much to those who reviewed the last chapter. I enjoyed each and every review. There's more action coming up in this chapter, but the next one will be different. Hope you enjoy this! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone!

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 38 - Elimination**

(by elle6778)

Sandeman could hear the choppy sounds of the helicopter blade and the frantic movements of the transgenics. Through the fogginess of his mind, he realised that he was in a helicopter. Transgenics were hovering over him, inserting tubes into his arms. A steady series of beeps could also be heard. Sandeman could only catch bits and pieces of the conversations which surrounded him, his mind flitting in and out of consciousness.

"…_not stabilising. His blood pressure is too low and his pulse weak…"_

"…_something to jolt him…"_

Sandeman wanted to tell them to leave it. He was old; he had lived his life. At times, he had done things he was not proud of, but he knew he could rest now knowing that he had told the transgenics what they had to know.

_(Flashback)_

_His wife was asleep, exhausted after having just given birth to a healthy baby boy. Sandeman looked down at the baby in his arms, his paternal instincts warring with his training as a familiar. But he knew what he had to do. Numbly, he went out of the bedroom into the deserted hallway, the baby snuggling in his arms. After planting a kiss on the baby's chubby cheeks, he held his hand over the child's mouth and nose, suffocating the life out of the small body._

_(Flashback)_

_Two years later, faced with the same decisions, Sandeman found that he could not do it. He had hidden the child instead. That was when he realise that he had to do something about the entire mess._

_(Flashback)_

_The Initiation ritual of one of the other familiar's third son had just been completed and the room at which the ceremony had been held was now deserted, except for Sandeman. Slowly, he approached the ceremonial goblet, which was still half-full with the combined blood of the snake and the High Priestess. From his pocket, he withdrew a large vial and proceeded to fill the vial with the blood._

_He needed it for analysis._

_(Flashback)_

_The DNA analysis of Manticore's latest batch of X5 transgenic babies were laid in front of him on the table as he flipped through each of them, nodding in satisfaction when the reports showed him what he wanted to know. It had taken many sleepless nights for him to come this far, but it was worth what he was seeing now. Not all of them could transfer their immunities to the Ordinaries, but there was enough._

_He reached for a file labelled X5-452 and began to read. As he scanned down the page, his eyes widened and he expelled a gasp of surprise. No junk DNA. What did that mean? All of her sequences were coded for some specific purpose._

_Sandeman narrowed his eyes as he realised that he had seen some of the sequences before. His heart thudded as it dawned on him what it meant. _

_X5-452 was effectively the transgenic version of the High Priestess._

_She was his special one._

_(End Flashback)_

A small smile curved Sandeman's lips. Well, he had done all he could and it was the transgenics turn to make sure they did what they were created for. He was happy that he had the chance to return and to know some of them. They would do well, he knew.

With a last sigh, he let himself go.

The steady beeping of the monitor instantly went flat.

* * *

Brain sat in front of Lydecker, studying the tense expression on the older man's face when as he told Lydecker what he had come up with based of the information they got in their database.

"I have analysed what I can and I think we have a few options," Brain said.

Lydecker waved for him to continue. "What is it?"

"The most obvious plan is to assassinate Eyes Only to stop the broadcast. The chance of success will be 96.8. However, the chance that someone else may turn up and find out about us, even after we have taken out Eyes Only, is 78.2. That is if we take into account that Eyes Only have assistance in finding us, which is a reasonable assumption. So, basically, assassinating Eyes Only will solve our immediate problem, but not in the long run."

"It may be the only thing we could do," Lydecker said with a frown. "Though I have to admit that Eyes Only sometimes is useful in terms of watching out for the Ordinaries. He just chose the wrong cause this time."

"Sir, with all due respect, if we can get him to be on our side, it will help," Brain suggested.

Lydecker snorted. "What are the chances of that?"

Brain took him literally. "42.1 chance, sir."

"Not exactly the best option, is it?"

Clearing his throat, Brain continued, "Another option is to move again. The success rate is lower this time, only 66.9. There aren't enough safe areas to accommodate all the transgenics in this facility. We will have problems bringing such a large number to those places without being detected."

"What if they're spread out into the different safe zones?" Lydecker asked.

Brain shook his head. "There're not enough people on the command team to ensure discipline and order. The X4s and the X5s are alright to operate independently, but the X6s, X7s and X8s require supervision. We'll be spreading it too thin."

Lydecker sighed. "Anymore options?" he asked wearily.

Brain hesitated for a while before he spoke.

When he finished, Lydecker's expression was thoughtful.

* * *

Logan watched the screen, glowing with satisfaction as the cable hack transmitted over the satellite to millions of television sets. Now the world would know about Manticore's existence, he thought. His eyes stared back at him from the screen, the word Streaming Video Bulleting scrolling past smoothly as he listened to his own voice.

"… _Since the early 1990s, billions of your tax dollars have been diverted from legitimate government programs to fund secret experiments in genetic engineering. This covert operation is known as Project Manticore. Its goal is to create the perfect soldier, genetically enhanced for superior strength and speed. These children are subjected to relentless training and propaganda. In the winter of 2009, twelve of them escaped from a facility in Gillette, Wyoming. Some of them were captured; some of them were tortured; some gave their lives fighting to stay free. Since these cable hacks began, Manticore has consolidated its operations to a secret location. Eyes Only have incriminating evidence against Manticore and will use this to bring them to justice. This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin."_

Logan sat back as the video ended, a smile on his lips. The next broadcast would be in exactly twenty-four hours. He had pre-recorded it and uploaded it to the satellite for automatic transmission at the set time. That should give the public an opportunity to work up an outrage, thus forcing those in charge to take action by the time Manticore's location was revealed.

Logan beamed; it was a perfect plan.

_This is a cause for celebration,_ he thought, reaching for the phone.

When a female voice answered on the end of the line, Logan said, "Asha, hi. I was wondering if you want to come over for dinner tonight…" A pause while she answered, and then Logan continued, "Great. I'll see you at nine then."

He hung up and made his way to the door. The dinner called for some pasta and chicken, which he would get from South Market. He just hoped that the market would have some fresh stock.

A few minutes later, in his car, Logan secured his seatbelt across his chest and started the ignition. As he began to drive off, he absently noticed a dark SUV behind him. Ignoring it, he continued to drive towards his destination.

The car stereo belted out a soft tune from a pre-pulse channel, enticing Logan to hum long. Slightly off-key, he thought but who cared. When the song ended, he reached down to change the channel to a classical one. As he straightened himself, he happened to glance at the rear-view mirror.

He frowned as he noticed that the SUV was still behind him. _Has it following him since he left his Penthouse?_

Logan sped up just to see if his deductions were true. The SUV did the same.

Logan turned left into a small road. The SUV followed him.

His heart beating faster now, Logan pushed his foot down on the accelerator to try to outrun the SUV, but the dark vehicle kept to his tail, not wavering at all.

The first gunshot hit his rear window, shattering the toughened glass into smithereens. Logan gasped, but continued to drive, his hands shaking in fear. _Who are these people? Manticore can't possibly have got to him so fast. He just broadcasted the stream less than half an hour ago,_ Logan thought frantically. He noticed the people around the streets screaming and running for cover. _Call for help, you idiots_, he thought.

The second shot came through the gap left by the broken window. Logan let out an involuntary scream as the bullet hit his left arm. The pain was burning, almost blanking him out. But he forced himself to remain focussed on the road. He needed to get to somewhere safe, like the sector checkpoints.

Thank goodness it was not too far away.

* * *

Thula sat in the car with three other familiars. The shotgun in her hand was smoking slightly after the second shot she had fired. A smile graced her face when she realised that her second shot had hit the target.

"The second one connected," one of her comrades said, his face twisted in an expression resembling satisfaction.

Thula glanced at him. "As expected. After all he deserves what's coming to him after all his snooping."

"It's While's incompetence which led to this, you know that right? If he haven't gone to Cale and used his cellphone for those calls, then Cale would never have started a trace. Our techs said that there were multiple attempts at locating our base especially those days right after we got Sandeman," another familiar said with a sneer.

Thula nodded. "Once we're through with this, we need to do something about White. He's a loose canon. And we can't afford someone like that in the Conclave…" Her eyes widened as she noticed where Logan's car was heading. "What the hell? He's heading towards the sector checkpoint! Get him before the sector police starts shooting at us. We can't be exposed," she exclaimed.

Another familiar leaned out of the window with his weapon and trained it in Logan's direction. He released three shots in rapid succession.

The car in front of them skidded erratically, right before the checkpoint. The sector police started shouting and holding up their guns, aiming it at the familiar's SUV.

As the police started firing rounds, Logan's car door opened and he slumped out of the car. He lay in spasms on the ground, clutching his arm.

Thula narrowed her eyes and fired off a last round just before her comrade turned their SUV around. She turned back to watch through the rear window and her face contorted in disappointment when she realised that the shot she released only hit him in the lower part of his spine, and not his heart.

* * *

Matt flattened himself against the wall, creeping sideways towards a curtained off chamber as Beet followed close. The lighting in the basement was dim, lending a mysterious look to the surroundings. The transgenics wrinkled their noses in distaste when their sensitive organ picked up the smell of dried blood and snake venom.

"Very hygienic. If this is what selective breeding does to you…" Blade muttered, a disgusted look marring his dark features.

Max grinned and continued to move alongside Blade until they reached the curtains. "Okay, this is it," she muttered under her breath.

At a nod from Matt, Blade grabbed a fistful of the curtains and yanked it off its hooks.

As the curtain tore, the four transgenics blurred into the chamber.

* * *

Jondy, Gab and Biggs were on their way to Logan's penthouse after receiving Lydecker's instruction to stall the second broadcast for as long as they could while Manticore prepared for their escape plan.

They were about to turn right on their bicycles to head towards the penthouse when a commotion on the left caught their attention. A nod to each other signalled that they should check it out. A few seconds later, they skidded to a halt at the back of a crowd which had gathered to one side of the sector checkpoint.

Jondy's eyes widened as she took in the bullet-riddled car surrounded by the crowd. She elbowed Gab and said, "Hey, isn't that Logan's car?"

Gab looked in the direction she had pointed and his jaw dropped. "Shit, this is not good. We need to see if he made it," he said, as he elbowed his way past the sea of people, Jondy and Biggs following close behind.

When they got to the front of the crowd, they saw Logan being lifted in a stretcher into the back of an ambulance. He was still conscious, taking into consideration the groans of pain he was emitting. Gab grimaced when he saw the amount of blood flowing from the Ordinary.

"He's alive," Biggs said unnecessarily. "I think we need to split up. Jondy, you follow the ambulance to the hospital. Gab and I will go to his place to wreck the next transmission," he said in a low voice.

Jondy and Gab nodded in agreement.

* * *

The furious motions of arms and legs thrown in a coordinated fight sequence continued for only a few seconds before Alec's opponent found himself restrained by a muscular arm around his neck. The familiar wheezed painfully and then Alec gave the familiar's neck a twist putting an end to the familiar's life.

Alec had heard the call for back-up from Matt and Max, and he had been trying desperately to get to them for the last ten minutes. But it was not easy. The path between the front door and the basement seemed to be blocked by a never-ending throng of familiars.

Jay, Lia, Vicky and two X6s were with him. Mick was leading the rest of their unit, not far behind Alec's team.

"Jay," Alec yelled for the male transgenic who had just shot a familiar in the heart. "Cover me. I'm going down to the basement. Lia, you come with me."

X5-680, or better known now as Jay nodded, his cleanly shaven head bobbing up and down. "I'm ready."

Lia, a dark skinned female transgenic also known as X5-501 said, "Right behind you, sir!"

Alec blurred down the stairs, dodging the familiars who were bent on stopping him. Jay released shot after shot, distracting the familiars from Alec and Lia.

A few minutes, and a half dozen familiars short later, Alec, Lia, Jay, Vicky and the two X6s found themselves in the basement. Another half a dozen familiars appeared to stand in the way between them and the curtained area from which Alec could hear the voices of Matt and Max. Alec could not make out what Max was saying, but he knew that she was furious about something.

Gritting his teeth in irritation, Alec methodically fought off the familiars until he reached the curtained area. He blurred through the gap between the torn curtains to find himself in some sort of ceremonial chamber.

He scanned the scene, finding Blade and Beet lying unconscious on the floor, blood pooling around them. Matt was having some trouble as he tried to fend off two familiars at the same time. Max, Alec noted with relief, seemed to be doing fine fighting with some bald-headed female whose skin was covered with multitudes of ceremonial markings. Alec guessed that this female must be the High Priestess. Matt's team had done quite a bit of damage, Alec thought as he saw five either dead or unconscious familiars on the floor.

A yell from Matt caught his attention, and Alec blurred towards the other CO to help him with his two opponents. As he fought the familiar, Alec saw Max fighting in close proximity with the High Priestess.

Between him and Matt, it did not take long for them to disarm and take down the two familiars. Just as Matt released a shot into his opponent's heart, the rest of Alec's team rushed in. They were about to rush towards Max when Max roughly shoved her Merc tactical knife deep into the High Priestess's heart, eliciting a horrifying scream from the woman.

The transgenics broke out in a triumphant cheer when the body of the High Priestess slumped against Max before she fell lifelessly to the floor. Max turned to them with a small, weary smile as she released her knife, letting it fall with a clank.

Suddenly realising that something was not right, Alec's heart beat rapidly as he watched Max. She swayed unsteadily as she tried to walk, but two steps later, she collapsed onto the floor. Alec blurred over, calling her name.

And then Alec felt his heart stop as he saw the ceremonial knife embedded in Max's side.

* * *

**t.b.c. **

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think! Next chapter will be the concluding chapter!


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters obviously do not belong to me. I am writing this purely for non-profit entertainment. No infringement intended, so don't sue me!

**A/N:** Thank you very much for your reviews of the last chapter. And now, read on to find out how it all concludes. It's MUCH longer than the usual chapters, so be warned.

For those of you who are reading the rest of my stories, my updates will be sporadic at best for the next few weeks due to my wedding arrangements. I'm sorry I can't do it more regularly, but it's a really busy month for me.

* * *

**Retrieved - Chapter 39 – Conclusion**

(by elle6778)

"Max!" he yelled as he caught Max in his arms. Gathering her close to him, his eyes skimmed her face, noticing its paleness. "Max, come on. Don't do this to us."

As he continued to watch her, willing her to wake up, she suddenly jerked into consciousness. Cracking her eyes open, she mumbled, "Alec?" And then she smiled at him. "Took you long enough, soldier."

Alec blinked back the sharp sting in his eyes, forcing himself to stay calm. They were not out of danger yet. "Max, we're going to get you out of here, okay? You need to hang on," he said, hardly noticing the crowd of transgenics gathering around them.

Max nodded weakly. "Stay with me, Alec," she whispered before her eyes fluttered shut. "I'm so tired."

Shaking her slightly, he urged, "Don't sleep. You've got to stay awake." Pulling himself up, he cradled Max in his arms and made for the exit, the rest of the transgenics, now subdued, following close behind him.

Before they could reach the stairs, a group of familiars appeared. Alec's eyes narrowed as he noticed who was leading the team.

"White," Alec gritted out. This whole mess was White's fault. White had been the one responsible for the capture of Sandeman, and subsequently the need for the whole stupid mission. And now Max was hurt. In Alec's eyes, the scum in front of him was responsible for it.

"I see we meet again," White sneered. Inclining his head at the unconscious Max, he said, "Aw, isn't that sweet. Your little mutant mate got hurt in the fight. What a shame."

Alec's jaw twitched as he tried to squash the urge to make mincemeat out of the familiar. Turning to Mick, who was standing by his side, Alec said, "Watch Max for me. I have a score to settle with that piece of shit."

Nodding, Mick took Max from Alec's arms, backing away from them into a relatively more secure position.

Cracking his knuckles, Alec raised an eyebrow at White and smirked, "What are you waiting for then?"

With a sneer, White dashed towards Alec. The other familiars, following his example, also made for the rest of the transgenics.

The transgenics held their ground, waiting for the familiars to make the first contact.

* * *

The second chopper just touched down, but the pilot continued to let it run. He knew that they had to take off very soon,

The transgenics dashed towards the open door, where Zack was leaning out to lend them a hand. The unconscious Blade and Beet were supported by a bulky X3 known as Keg, and a few more injured transgenics who were still mobile managed to make their way into the chopper in one piece. Just after Zack helped Matt, who was carrying Mick over his shoulders, Zack turned to see Alec approaching with Max in his arms.

"What the hell happened in there?" Zack snapped, his features expressing his concern at the state Max and Mick was in. Not to mention the rest of them.

The field med on board the chopper quickly checked Max over. "It's just a flesh wound. Nothing to worry about."

Watching the field med dress Max's wound, Alec said without looking up, "White and his lot showed up after Max killed the High Priestess."

"Yeah, I heard all that on the comms," Zack said in exasperation. And then gesturing at Mick and Max, he said, "But how did they get this way?"

Matt sighed. "We didn't see how Max got stabbed, but Mick here had a run-in, literally with White. Where's Sandeman?"

Zack shook his head slowly. "We sent him back in the first chopper with the field meds. But he didn't make it."

"What? But…" Matt stopped, suddenly at a loss for words when the news sank in fully. "Oh, hell," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look at it this way, at least we've disposed of quite a few of the familiars," Alec said, putting a hand on Matt's shoulder. Then turning to Max, Alec gently brushed her hair away from her face. "I just wish I got to her earlier. Then maybe I'd get to her before she got stabbed," he said, his expression remorseful.

"No, Sandeman specifically told me to watch over her. And look what I did. I left her," Zack said with a frown of self-disgust.

"Come on, guys. If anyone's to blame, it's me. I'm leading the team, remember? I should have waited for backup before rushing in like that into the chamber," Matt said.

Alec sighed. "If you put it that way, then I'm responsible for the state Mick's in as well. And-" he started to say, but was cut short by the moan which came from Max. "Max!" he exclaimed. "How're you feeling?"

Max groaned before she cracked her eyes open. "Like hell. I rest easier if the three of you stop yapping. For crying out loud, you sound like a bunch of whinging kids. How's a girl supposed to recuperate with all that noise."

Before they could reply, Mick, who was strapped to the seat further in front, shuffled awake. "She's got a point there, guys," he croaked just as his hand flew to his head. "Damn, I'll kill that bastard of a familiar if I ever see him again."

"Too late. Alec has done it for you," Matt said with a grin, glad that Mick and Max were conscious and talking.

Alec waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Piece of cake," he said cockily.

Max snorted. "That's why you're all covered in bruises, right?"

"Battle scars, Max. Battle scars. I'm proud of it," Alec said with a grin. "Now, all I need now is for you to kiss it better."

"Ugh. Can the two of you wait till we're at least back in Manticore in the privacy of your own cells before starting this sappy crap?" Mick asked, a revolted look on his face. And then suddenly, with a mischievous grin, he asked, "I take it you two have made up after the thing about Sam, then?"

"Mick, I thought you needed to sleep. Won't want to undo all the medic's hard work now, do we?" Alec threw back with a glare. Unsure how Max would react at the reminder of their recent fight, he turned around to look at her apprehensively.

When he saw the pensive look on her face, his heart sank.

Noticing the exchange between Alec and Max, Matt cleared his throat and said pointedly to Zack, "We better go check on the rest of them in front."

Understanding his meaning, Zack nodded and went with Matt, leaving Max and Alec with some modicum of privacy.

Alec tapped at his comms, deactivating it, watching silently as Max followed suit. He lowered himself into the empty seat beside Max. Inhaling deeply, he said, "So… about what Mick said…"

Max raised her eyebrows, her expression sombre. "You mean if everything is okay after what you've done to me?"

"Max. I'm really sorry. I know that what I did was terrible, but I thought you were having sex with Mick when you didn't even let me. It won't happen again, I promise. Please, Max," he pleaded.

"It won't happen again?" Max asked with a frown. "Gee, Alec, was having sex with me THAT bad an experience?"

"Huh? No…NO. That wasn't what I mean. It was good, but like that. Not when you say no. I felt so sick at myself after I realised what I've done. I mean, I would-" he suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing at the pinched look on Max's face. "Max… You're yanking my chain, aren't you?" he said accusingly.

Unable to contain it anymore, Max started laughing. "That was priceless," she gasped between her laughter. Then she grimaced. "Ouch, that hurts," she groaned, clutching her bandaged side.

His lips twitching, Alec pointed out, "You asked for it. That's for fooling around with my feelings."

"What feelings?"

"That's harsh, Max. MY feelings, that's what!"

"Okay, okay. There's no need to get all pissy about it," she said, then grinned. "Though I like it when you got all flustered. Kind of make a chance from your usual smart-aleck attitude to things."

Alec snorted. "What, now you want me to change now after so many years?"

Max gave him a look which warmed his heart. "No, I like you the way you are. Don't change a thing." she said, pulling him into her arms.

Leaning into the hug, Alec whispered in her ears, "Max, you're all that I want, you know that."

Max smiled into his neck, glad that they finally admitted their feelings to each other. Well, in a way.

* * *

Asha ran up the stairs to the first floor, where Logan's room was. She came as soon as she got Jondy's phone call. She knew something bad would happen with the whole deal with White. Not that they have proof that it was White, but who else could it be?

She continued to run along to hallway until she turned around the corner to find Jondy standing outside a room.

"Jondy," Asha called out breathlessly. "Where's he? Is he okay?"

Pointing to the closed door next to her, Jondy said, "He just woke up. The doctor is in there giving him a check-up now. She said we can go see him after she's finished with him."

Sighing in relief, Asha slumped into the seat beside the door. "Thank god he's alright."

Jondy looked down at the floor, uncertainty written clear across her face. Then carefully, she said, "I wouldn't really say that. He's alive but he sustained some damage."

Asha's eyes rounded. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice full of trepidation.

"A bullet hit the base of his spine. The doctor said that it is unlikely that he will regain function of his legs."

Asha felt her breath catch in her throat. Gaping incredulously at Jondy, she choked out, "What? No!" She continued to look at Jondy beseechingly, hoping that the other woman would confirm that it was a mistake.

"Who did this?" Asha asked, suddenly feeling angry.

Jondy sighed. "We have no proof. But you know the guy Logan's working with? White? I think it's him."

"Why do you think so?" Although Asha suspected the same thing, she wanted to hear what Gab thought.

Jondy shrugged. "He threatened Logan before, didn't he? And he seems shady enough. But I told you, no proof."

At that moment, the door to Logan's room swung open. The doctor walked out and stood in front of them. Asha recognised her as Dr Shankar, one of Logan's friends.

"He's stable now, and asking to see you all. Keep it short. He needs to rest," Dr Shankar said.

Quietly, Jondy and Asha filed in.

Logan's broken voice greeted them from the bed. "Hey, nice to see you."

Asha went to sit by his side. Her eyes suspiciously damp, she said, "I'm so sorry, Logan. Your legs…"

Logan looked away. "Hazards of the job, I guess," he said tightly. It was clear to Jondy and Asha that it was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

"Do you know the people who did this?" Jondy asked softly, changing the topic.

"At first I thought it was Manticore, because I'd just done a broadcast. But they can't have possibly found me so soon. So it must be someone else. The only person that comes to mind is White," he ground out angrily.

Asha nodded. "We came to the same conclusion."

"I've been thinking. White's the one who had been feeding me information about Manticore. Now I'm beginning to wonder if any of it is true. I won't put it past him to come up with something like that," Logan said thoughtfully. Then turning to the two women, he asked, "Either of you familiar with computers?"

Giving Logan a questioning look, Jondy said, "I'm alright but my friend, Biggs, is much better at it."

"Can he be trusted?"

"Of course. What do you need done?" Jondy asked.

"I need you to go to my penthouse and stop the next broadcast," Logan said resolutely.

* * *

It took her a while, but she finally made it to Logan's penthouse. Just as she was about to enter, Gab and Biggs emerged from the building, their expressions broadcasting their displeasure.

"Hey, guess what?" she started, almost jumping out of her skin in her excitement when she reached them. "Logan wants us to stop the broadcast. He gave me the code for it. All we have to do is to enter it in one of his computers."

Gab and Biggs exchanged a look.

"What?" Jondy asked, confused at their reaction. A little warning bell went off in her head.

"Well, we got here an hour ago, but the whole place was already trashed," Biggs said tightly.

Jondy gaped. "What do you mean? Trashed? Can you be more specific?"

"Trashed as in everything was smashed to bits, all the furniture broken and all the electronic stuff, computer included, are now only useful in a junkyard," Biggs replied.

"No…" Jondy whispered, her eyes wide in shock. "But how are we supposed to stop the broadcast then?"

Gab shook his head. "It's too late. We need to inform Manticore of this development. I'm guessing that this was the work of those familiars who shot him. Logan must have seriously pissed them off. He got shot in the spine, and now he's paralysed from waist down."

"The guy really asked for it. No one forced him to work with such a slime," Biggs said carelessly.

"Come on, Biggs. How was he supposed to know? Look, the three of us did not even connect White and the familiars until Sandeman got kidnapped," Jondy pointed out in exasperation.

Gab sighed, knowing that someone had to break the news to Manticore. "Now, the only thing which remains is; who's going to call Lydecker?"

Jondy and Biggs both pointed at Gab simultaneously.

"I should have guessed," Gab muttered under his breath.

* * *

Putting down the phone, Lydecker squeezed his eyes shut, his expression weary. The time had come. The phonecall he had received from Gab basically confirmed that they had run out of options.

It was 2340 hours. He was pacing in the vehicle depot, watching closely as his 'kids' returned from the mission. They had sustained a number of injuries. Apart from Sandeman, there were no fatalities. For that, he was thankful. He was not happy that the primary objective of getting Sandeman out of there had not been successfully completed, but at least the secondary objective of taking down the familiars had been successful.

Turning to Mia, who was trying to calm a traumatised X6 using her skills, Lydecker said, "When you're done with her, gather your unit and get Mole to gather all the transhumans to the training ground for 0200 hours."

Mia looked up. "What about the rest? The X-series?"

"All their COs and Second in Command are in the med bay for one reason of another. I'm heading that way, so I'll tell them myself," Lydecker replied.

With that, he swivelled round and headed towards the med bay.

* * *

The transgenics flooded the hallways just minutes before 0200 hours, all heading towards the training grounds.

"I can't believe Lydecker can't wait until morning to tell us whatever he needs to tell us. I mean, it's two in the morning for crying out loud," Max grumbled to Alec, who had not left her side ever since they had boarded the chopper.

Alec grinned. "I thought with your shark DNA, you won't have a problem staying awake."

"It's nothing to do with my shark DNA. I just got stabbed, and damn it, it still hurts," Max snapped irritably.

"You're whining, Max," Alec pointed out with a smirk.

Max glared at him. "Whose side are you on?"

Alec widened his eyes and held his arms out in a defensive gesture. "Yours, of course," he said in an exaggerated tone.

"Ass," Max said, her lips twitching.

Alec laughed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh, will you two just get a room?" Mick exclaimed from behind them.

Tossing a glance over his shoulders at Mick, Alec said, "Hey, don't take it out on us. It's not our fault that the Canadian team is housed in a separate block."

Grumbling under his breath, Mick did not reply.

A few moments later, they were lined up in their respective units, each headed by their COs. Lydecker stood in front of them, waiting for them to compose themselves before he spoke.

"I'll attempt to keep this short because we have a lot of work to do tonight and tomorrow," Lydecker started, watching the confusion flickering in the less-well disguised expressions on some of the transgenics.

"Manticore's location is about to be compromised. An Eyes Only broadcast at 1900 hours today will reveal the location of this facility. As it is, there are already some problems arising with the first broadcast. Many people are not happy about the existence of Manticore. The second broadcast is sure to bring the public down on us."

"So we worked up a plan. The main objective is to make the broadcast appear fake. It is not perfect, and it relies on all of you to work together. It had been passed through the Committee, and although they were wary, they agreed that it is the only choice we have. Manticore's policy is to cauterise the site whenever there is a risk of exposure. Now, this exposure will happen in seventeen hours, and we will move everyone out and cauterise the site, basically wiping out all evidence of the existence of Manticore. The problem is, we do not have enough back-up facilities to house all of you, so you will be split up."

A wave of exclamations of surprise was issued from the sea of transgenics in front of him. Lydecker held him hand up, and the transgenics went silent.

"We have grouped everyone based on skillset and suitability for the safe-areas. Listen carefully, because soon after this meeting, I want you all to go off in your respective groups to discuss the logistics. I have the files here detailing your locations and your roles. All transhumans, Psy-Ops, X4 field meds and the X3s will be moved to a facility together. Mole will be in command and Mia will assist," Lydecker said, nodding to Mole, who had a very uncharacteristic look of shock on his face.

"All X7s and X8s will be moved to one location, together with the Manticore administration and training team to supervise. A select number of X4s and Psy-ops personnel will also join them," Lydecker said. "X7s and X8s to remain on this training ground after this meeting for further instuctions."

"Yes, sir," a chorus of young voices reached him.

Lydecker took a deep breath. Wondering for the hundredth time if they were doing the right thing. It all could turn pear-shaped for all he knew, but what other choice did they have?

"Now, for those of you who are X4s, X5s and X6s. The ratio of X6s to X4s and X5s, including the Canadian team, is approximately one to two. A pair of X4 or X5 will be responsible for a least one X6 unit," Lydecker said, watching the frown of confusion deepen in the foreheads of the X4s, X5s an X6s.

"The two X4s or X5s will stay together with the X6s, and will integrate into normal society in an allocated location," Lydecker said.

The exclamations of surprise were deafening this time. Lydecker waited for them to calm down, but when it looked as if it would not happen anytime soon, he held up his hand and asked with a small smile, "Any questions?"

"Sir, won't exposure be an issue?" Jace asked as the transgenics watched Lydecker expectantly..

Lydecker turned to him. "All of you have been on mission where you keep a certain cover as an Ordinary. You will have a new identity and the relevant paperwork to support it. There's no reason to think that you cannot sustain your cover in the longer term. If exposure seems imminent, there's always the option to relocate," he replied.

"What about the chain of command? Who are we reporting to?" Sandy asked, a small frown marring her brow.

"Your current Commanding Officer will be responsible for you, and in turn, will report back to Manticore through a set channel. Your responsibility is to report your progress to your Commanding Officer on a regular basis. The X6s continue to be under the command of X5-452, hence to some extend, there will be some interaction between all X4s and X5s with 452 when it comes to their X6 buddy."

"What about missions? Will that not affect our cover?" Dana, the CO of the X4 unit asked.

"You will continue with your missions as required. I will be in touch with your Commanding Officers whenever you're to be deployed for a mission. As for your cover, I'm sure you can think up a good enough excuse to disappear for a few days. Those who are currently on missions will remain in their current position, keeping their current cover. I will be in contact with them to brief them about this."

Alec was next. "How do we subsidise our living? Will we be given expenses similar to what we have now during missions?"

"Perhaps in a slightly different way, but yes. Now, as you're gaining a considerable amount of freedom, we feel that you should be given the responsibility to earn your own way. You will be paid for your missions and your cover should help you earn more."

A few of the transgenics grinned at this.

"Are our partners allocated as well?" Val asked, worried that she and Matt would be separated.

"Your Commanding Officer would know best which pair works best together. So all COs will be required to produce a list of pairs of transgenics they feel could live and work together in the long term, and then 452 will add the X6 counterpart to the list. The list should also reflect any requests for particular names you want to use," Lydecker lips twitched before he continued, "I know for a fact that many of you already have name of sorts, hence we might as well utilise it."

Some of the transgenics smiled sheepishly.

The briefing seemed to have taken forever. Practically every transgenic had something to ask, and Lydecker answered them all, sometimes with the help of Brain, who came up with the entire masterplan in the first place. The only real uncomfortable moment was when Lydecker told them that all of them would have to report to the med bay for tracer implants after the meeting. He explained that it was necessary for security purposes and that it was required by the Committee. However understanding the Committee had been on the plan, they had felt that they needed to protect their investment.

It was another hour before the transgenics left for the med bay and then later scattered to carry out their various tasks, and another five hours before they re-gathered in the training ground to spread the result of their sleepness night.

* * *

The nine members of unit 4, Gab excluded, sat around the rectangular in a briefing room. Matt sat at the head of the table with a small notepad in front of him, tapping his pen as he glanced around at his unit members thoughtfully.

"Right. There are nine of us here. What I've got so far is Sandy with Zip, Cass with Speed, Blade with Treve and I will go with Val. I have spoken to Lydecker and we feel that Max will be capable of handing herself as a solo operative, especially seeing that she will have the responsibility of the X6s to contend with. Anyone have any comments?" Matt asked.

Treve grinned. "Hey, how come the three other pairs include chicks and I have to end up with Blade?"

Matt glared at him. "I feel that the two of you work best together."

Sandy laughed and said, "We know how close you two are. Reminds me of a husband and a wife."

"What do you know about husbands and wives anyway? It's not like you have much contact with any of them," Blade shot back.

"Well, I'm not changing the list again. We have lots more to do before we're ready to move out," Matt said sternly.

"How are we doing this? I suppose we're moving out in intervals, otherwise it might get a bit suspicious," Max said.

Matt nodded and was about reply to Max when the door to their briefing room opened.

Alec popped his head in. "You're still at it?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "I need to talk to Max about the X6s. I've got my list here."

"I think we're done, unless you have any other questions?" Matt asked, looking around. "No? Then you're dismissed."

The room cleared at record speed, the transgenics excited at the prospect of the change, leaving Max, Matt and Alec behind.

Handing Max the list with the pairing and the names of those in Unit 4, Matt said, "Okay, I think you can add in your bit now. Do you want me to come get it from you to give it to Lydecker later, or you'll be doing it?"

Max took the list from him. "I'll just give it to him when I've filled in every unit's lists with their X6s counterparts."

Matt nodded his thanks and left the room.

Turning her attention to Alec, Max said, "Hey, you're giving me the list or not?"

His eyes twinkling mischievously, Alec drawled, "What do I get in return?"

Max widened her eyes. "Oh? I wasn't aware that I have to submit payment for the list."

Alec stepped closer to her. "I guess I just have to help myself to you then," he said, snagging her around the waist.

Max leaned in as Alec lowered his lips onto hers, drawing circles on her back as he deepened the kiss. She moaned softly as he moved his lips further south, caressing her soft skin slowly.

When they finally broke apart, Alec grinned and said, "Well, I guess that will do."

Max smacked his arm. "That's it? That's what you rate it as? Just a 'will do'?"

"I would love to show you more, but I think Lydecker might object if we're late for our deployment," Alec said, smirking.

Max rolled her eyes. "Deployment starts at 1000 hours," she pointed out.

"Talk about deployment, who're you paired up with?" Alec asked, a bit too casually.

Grinning, Max said, "Why do you need to know?"

"I think it's not unreasonable to ask who is going to be living with my girl for who knows how long," Alec growled, sounding irritated.

Max raised her eyebrows as she detected the tone of jealousy in his voice. "Well, funny you should ask…"

"Who is it?" Alec snapped impatiently.

Putting a hand on his arms, Max said softly, "No one."

"Huh? What do you mean? No one? Your unit has even numbers, right?" Alec asked, confusion marring his brow.

"Odd numbers, Alec. Our unit have one odd person, because Gab's out in the field. So, I'm operating solo. Considering that I actually have to be running around checking on the X6s all the time, it seemed to be a sensible idea," she explained with a shrug.

Alec relaxed visibly, much to Max's amusement. "I guess it make sense," and then brightening, he said, "Hey, what do you say we kind of, you know, hang around together? I'm operating solo as well."

"Um, I don't know about that," she said, watching the almost imperceptible stiffening of Alec's posture. Then grinning, she continued, "Of course I'd like that, you dumbass."

Alec threw her a dirty look. "You did that on purpose."

Max laughed. "You should know me better than to ask me this type of questions," she said, wrapping her arms around him. "I think it'll be nice to stay with you, you know, to have someone's ass to kick regularly."

"I knew you have an obsession with my perfect ass," Alec retorted.

Max rolled her eyes. "Now, are you going to give me that list or not? We've got work to do."

Alec handed her the list, smiling innocently.

* * *

At 1000 hours, the first batch of transgenics left the Seattle facility. The X7s and X8s, all dressed in private school uniforms suitable for children of the age of four to eight, marched up into two buses, their footsteps synchronised. Lydecker watched as one of the drill sergeants, Hales, ticked off the young transgenics' names on the list he held in his hand. The adult portion of the party consisted of the drill sergeants, nurses, scientists and several X4s. Their destination was a new boarding school in Wyoming.

At 1135 hours, the second batch of transgenics, including the Desert, Arctic and the Trench Division left the facility. The logistics of the move were more complicated this time. The transhumans needed to be transferred in such a way that they would not attract undue attention, particularly considering their destination. Large, sturdy barrels with air-holes at the top were used to hide the transhumans during their transit in a truck to someplace they only knew as Terminal City.

At 1230 hours, the Battle Processors Unit, the psy-ops, the X3s and the X4 field meds, making up only eighteen of the non-transhuman Terminal City crew, left the facility in four SUVs. They were clad in the standard industrial hazard wear, disguised as sterilisation personnel. Part of the plan actually involved these transgenics cleaning up part of the city to enable habitation by Ordinaries, namely Lydecker and some other Manticore personnel, as Terminal City would form the main base for all the 'free' transgenics.

At 1415 hours, the San Francisco team of Unit 1 and 5, clad in Ordinary clothes, made their way in pairs together with their respective X6s to various vehicles. Led by Dana and Scrib, they left the facility, some on bikes and some in cars.

At 1605 hours, the Portland team of Unit 3 and the Underwater Division, led by Jace, left the facility in their small teams of three members. The X5s and the X6s would form the ground crew and the Underwater Division would be operating mainly from the surrounding waterway.

At 1650 hours, the Seattle team of Unit 4 and Unit 6, led by Matt and Alec, headed for their various vehicles. Max and Alec immediately went for a black Ninja and a green Ducati respectively, grinning at each other as they revved up their bikes and roared out of Manticore.

At 1740 Manticore's facility in Seattle no longer housed any transgenics.

At 1820, Lydecker made a phone call to the Committee. When he hung up, he gave the order to the last few remaining personnel to cauterise the site. He watched from afar as the flames grew and swallowed the buildings which had been known as home to the transgenics.

At 1900 hours, every television in post-pulse America briefly went static before a pair of eyes appeared on the screen. Red, blue and white stripes scrolled across the screen as Eyes Only began to speak.

"_Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video. The cable hack will last exactly sixty seconds…"_

In a four storey building in Wyoming, approximately a hundred children sat down to dinner at a place which they used to call a mess hall but now called a dining room. At one end of the building, away from the children, a group of scientists, nurses, drill sergeants and X4s crowded around a table, their eyes fixed to the television.

"_It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped, and it is the only free voice left in this city..."_

In Terminal City, the transhumans stared at the television which Dix had hooked up several hours ago. Chomping on his cigar, Mole muttered, "Yeah, yeah… who cares? We have better things to do than to listen to THAT verbal diarrhoea. We've got a city to run."

"_Manticore's location has been revealed. Your secret is out…"_

In San Francisco, Dana pulled up closer to the only remaining SUV parked by the side of the road. Scrib and the rest of the transgenics in the SUV were watching the broadcast in the diner through its glass window, their enhanced hearing allowing them to hear the words even through the glass.

"_And now Manticore will be held accountable for its crimes. Manticore's facility is located an hour southwest of Seattle."_

In Portland, Zack leaned back as Jace moved across him to grab the remote control. Decreasing the volume, she returned to her spot on the couch and said, "Well, Manticore's facility has grown much bigger now."

"_Eyes Only will bring the people responsible for these crimes will be brought to justice."_

In Seattle, Max and Alec sat at the bar in a place called Crash, watching the end of the Eyes Only broadcast which had caused them so much upheaval.

"_This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin."_

Turning to Alec, Max raised her glass of beer. "Here's to new beginnings."

Raising his glass, Alec matched her actions and echoed her words, "To now beginnings." And then he winked, "…and a new, improved relationship between us."

"Oh, man. You're so whipped," a familiar voice interrupted them.

Alec and Max turned around, the identical scowls on their faces turning into grins when they saw Gab, Jondy and Biggs standing behind them, arms crossed over their chests.

"Oh, shut up," Max said to Gab, swiping the back of his head with her palm.

"Damn it, Max! You haven't seen me for ages and this is how you greet me?" Gab complained, rubbing the back of his head.

The transgenics' laughter reverberated across Crash.

* * *

**(The End)**

A/N: Thank you so much for all your support all through this story. It had taken more than half a year, but at least now it's finished, much to my relief! Hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Please leave me a final review for this story. I would appreciate it!


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